The Utah Jazz (7-13) took control with a strong second quarter and held off the Houston Rockets (13-5) for a 133–125 victory on December 2.
Here are the key stats and the top performers of the game:
BEST PLAYER OF THE GAME:
Lauri Markkanen UTA PF 29 PTS | 9-11 FTS | 8 REB | 41.6 FPS
Markkanen led the team in scoring for the ninth time, finishing with his 12th 25-point performance of the season.
BREAKOUT PERFORMANCE:
Alperen Sengun HOU C 31 PTS | 14 AST | 5 BLK | 79.6 FPS
Sengun delivered a complete stat line with strong value in key categories. He recorded his third 30-point game, set a season-high in blocks, and also tied his career-high in assists.
SCORING MACHINES:
Kevin Durant HOU PF 32 PTS | 9 REB | 5 AST | 45.3 FPS
KD stepped up in the fourth quarter, pouring in 16 points to finish with his sixth 30-point game of the season while also putting up solid value in rebounds for the third straight game.
Keyonte George UTA PG 28 PTS | 4 REB | 8 AST | 41.8 FPS
George delivered a solid bounce-back performance today after recording 0 points in their previous meeting. He finished with his fourth 25-point game over his last five, but turnovers have become a problem, averaging 7 in his last two.
STAT SPECIALIST:
Amen Thompson HOU SF 23 PTS | 8 REB | 2 BLK | 41.1 FPS
Thompson struggled badly in the previous game against the Jazz but made up for it today, finishing with his fifth 20-point performance of the season. He also continues to be a steady rebounder, although his numbers in other areas have been inconsistent.
DEFENSIVE STANDOUT:
Ace Bailey UTA SF 3 REB | 2 STL | 3 BLK | 35.1 FPS
Bailey came up big on the defensive end, finishing with multiple steals for the fourth time this season while also posting his best blocking performance.
THE SHARPSHOOTER:
Aaron Holiday HOU PG 10 PTS | 3-7 3PT | 2 AST | 15.4 FPS
Holiday finished with his fourth consecutive double-digit scoring game.
THE X-FACTOR:
Jusuf Nurkic UTA C 18 PTS | 9 REB | 2 AST | 30.8 FPS
Nurkic averaged 16 points and 7.5 rebounds in back-to-back games against the Rockets. However, he wasn’t as effective as a playmaker, posting a season-low in assists today after recording 9 in each of his previous two outings.
PLAYER TO WATCH:
Kyle Filipowski 12 PTS | 7 REB | 1 BLK | 24.9 FPS
Filipowski has put up at least 12 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists in both games against the Rockets.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE GAME:
Jabari Smith Jr. HOU PF 12 PTS | 1-6 3PT | 3 TO
Smith Jr. contributed in multiple areas, but he was less effective on offense, finishing with the lowest scoring output in his last six games while also tying his season-high in turnovers.
