On the day the Utah Jazz reshaped their roster by trading for former NBA Defensive Player of the Year winner Jaren Jackson Jr., fans may have had a glimpse of the future as role player Isaiah Collier solidified his spot on the roster.
The sophomore guard made headlines in the Jazz’s 131-122 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday after dishing out a historic 22 assists.
“I feel like we needed this as a team… I needed this individually as well. It’s good momentum going into the next city, so it’s good for us,” Collier said postgame.
Isaiah Collier, Record Setter
With his 22 dimes, Isaiah Collier became the youngest player in NBA history to dish out 22 assists in one game, beating out former Chicago Bulls guard Ennis Whatley by 38 days. Whatley had held the record since 1984, when he recorded 22 assists against the New York Knicks at the age of 21 years, 156 days.
Additionally, Collier played all 48 minutes on Wednesday. The last player to dish out that many dimes while playing the entire game was Magic Johnson in Game 5 of the 1991 Finals.
Short-handed Jazz Continue to Make Music
Part of why Collier played every minute against the Pacers was the Jazz being shorthanded after their blockbuster trade for Jackson Jr. That deal saw Utah ship four rotation players, and that left the team with only seven available against Indiana.
Regardless, Utah still managed to make beautiful music, so to speak, as all seven players scored in double figures en route to breaking what had been a six-game losing streak. That prolific offense, of course, was largely due to Collier’s breakthrough performance.
With Jackson Jr. set to make his Utah debut soon, the new era in Salt Lake City is definitely one to watch. In the meantime, the Jazz will look to shape their chemistry against another retooled squad—the Atlanta Hawks—on Friday.
