Lauri Markkanen explains how he became one of the NBA's most dominant players / News - Basketnews.com

Lauri Markkanen has been posting incredible numbers with Utah this season, culminating in his 49-point game vs. Houston. The Finnish forward opened up on why he's become so efficient.

Credit: AP-Scanpix Credit AP-Scanpix

Lauri Markkanenis arguably having the best season of his career. So much so that he's often managed to steal the spotlights from players like Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic or Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Lauri Markkanen

Team:Utah JazzPosition:PF, CAge:25Height:213 cmWeight:116 kgBirth place:FinlandProfileNewsStatistics

The 25-year-old Finnish big man had the best game of his entire career, stopping his scoring at 49 points inUtah Jazz's 114-131 victory in Houston. In addition, he contributed eight rebounds, made six 3-point shots and went 15/27 from the field.

It is not the first time that Markkanen has made heads turn this season. In December, he finished with 38 points against the Pistons and shortly before he had a 38-point game against the Suns.

"I've been saying it all year, it's all because of my teammates. The coaching staff has known how to find the right place to be successful," Markkanen said.

The Finn already had 18 points in the first quarter, feeling that this was going to be his game: "Jordan (Clarkson) told me during the game to go for 50, that it was my night," he revealed.

In the process, Lauri nailed six 3-pointers and made all 13 of his free throws.

"He's doing a great job progressing in various areas that are making them have a great offensive impact," Jazz coach Will Hardy said of Markkanen. "More and more he understands what he needs to do when teams step up their defense against him."

Utah, currently 10th in the West at 20-21, completely changed its team during the preseason beginning what was billed as a rebuild. However, the process is going more smoothly than expected, largely thanks to Markkanenaveraging career highs in several categories. They include 24.5 points per game, 52.9% shooting, 42% 3-point shooting (on 7.3 attempts per game), 87.7% free-throw shooting, and 1.9 assists.

Lauri Markkanen

MIN:34.21PTS:24.63 (61.59%)REB:8.39As:1.92ST:0.58BL:0.58TO:1.84GM:38ProfileNBA2022/2023

Two players in the league are averaging at least 20 points while shooting 50 percent from the field and 40 percent from 3-point range - Markkanen and Steph Curry.

In his first season with the Jazz, Lauri Markkanen has turned into the player the Bulls were hoping for when they traded for him on draft night in 2017. The player says his improvement is obvious.

"I think I'm a better player than I was a couple of years ago when I was here (Chicago) and I'm just getting more mature. And then, being in the right system utilizes my strengths," Markkanen told NBC.

"Being on the move is getting me to my right spots. I don’t know if I would’ve been able to do this stuff earlier on."

"Every month, it seems to get higher and higher. So I don't want to say something super outlandish. But he's one of the more talented players in our league," 16-year veteran Mike Conley Jr. said.

"I think the more opportunity he gets as being The Guy and the more he learns how to navigate that, it can push him up another notch into a level of guys who are the premier guys in the league," he added.

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