Lauri Markkanen officially tops the NBA record books.
Following a three-pointer with 10:28 left in the fourth quarter, Markkanen became the NBA's all-time leader for most career games by a 7-footer with at least five made threes. It was the 36th time in his career he'd done so and the 15th time in a Jazz uniform — three times this year already.
Channing Frye (35) and Dirk Nowitzki (32) round out the top three.
Markkanen has been a revelation for the Jazz since the organization received him in a trade with Cleveland last summer. Since that moment, all he's done is emerge as one of the best forwards in the NBA and the leader of a Jazz team many believe to be ahead of schedule when it came to the rebuild that started last year.
The seventh-year forward had a breakout season last year, being named to his first All-Star game and then chosen as a starter. He also won the NBA's Most Improved Player of the Year award and became the first player in league history to have 200 threes and 100 dunks in a season.
As Utah's No. 1 option, he averaged career-highs in points (25.6), shot attempts (17.3), field goal percentage (49.9%), free throw percentage (87.5%), assists (1.9), and minutes (34.4). He also averaged 8.6 rebounds per game, 39.2% from three, and 58.6% effective field goal percentage, all the second-most in his career.
"I'm going to have to come up with something," he said at the end of last season when asked about what's next. "It's just the beginning, and the work continues. … You want to make it again, and then you want to win bigger things as a team and individually. Just keep climbing up. … We'll see what that's gonna look like, but we go day-by-day."
Spending a busy summer serving in Finland's military as part of his mandatory service and then playing for his country in FIBA competition, it was unknown how Markkanen would start the year. Yet, just four games in, he's answered that question — and then some.
Markkanen is averaging 24.3 points and 8.3 rebounds per game on 49% shooting from the floor, 46.2% from beyond the arc, and 91.2% from the free throw line. Despite being the focal of every opponent's scouting report, Markkanen has still found a way to dominate the game on a nightly basis.
"We do want Lauri to be more of an overall threat. … It's something that he's worked a lot on," head coach Will Hardy said. "Inside the three-point line, I think because of his size and physicality, he's shown more comfort playing one-on-one there. It's still a work in progress playing one-on-one facing up outside the three-point line. … He's really doing a good job in terms of his growth, reading different defenses."
It's been quite a whirlwind since Markkanen joined the Jazz, but even he knows the job isn't done. His game isn't done evolving, and there are more accomplishments to be had.
"I don't know what the ceiling is on Lauri. … I don't think any of us do, but I'm pretty sure we haven't seen it yet," Hardy said.
"I'm not satisfied,” Markkanen added. “I have high expectations for myself and try to reach them every night, trying to help the team that way. … I'm just trying to do whatever I can.”