Utah Jazz Defeat Indiana Pacers with Season-High 152 Points
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Lauri Markkanen led the Utah Jazz with 35 points as they scored the highest total in any NBA game this season, prevailing 152-128 over the struggling Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night.
Key Performances
- Rookie Ace Bailey added 20 points, showcasing his full range of dunks, midrange jumpers, and three-pointers in his second start after a slow season start due to illness.
- Svi Mykhailiuk contributed 20 points for the Jazz.
Indiana Pacers' Struggles Continue
The injury-plagued Pacers, who were last season’s Eastern Conference champions, dropped to a 1-10 record, tying their worst start since the 1988-89 season.
- Pascal Siakam returned to score 27 points, and Aaron Nesmith added 17 points after missing the previous game.
- Tyler McConnell made his season debut, scoring 12 points in limited 11 minutes as he recovers from a hamstring injury.
Statistical Outlook
Indiana entered the game with the league’s worst offensive rating and was the only team shooting under 40% from the field this season. However, they improved to a season-best 46.5% shooting in this game but still allowed the Jazz to shoot an efficient 55.4%.
"Ace Bailey, the 5th pick in this summer’s draft, started the season slowly as he recovered from illness but had his full repertoire of dunks, midrange jumpers and 3-pointers on display in his second start."
Author's summary: Utah Jazz overwhelmed the struggling Pacers with an NBA season-high 152 points, powered by strong performances from Markkanen, Bailey, and Mykhailiuk despite Indiana’s shooting improvements.