High Flying Lauri Markkanen Gets Utah Jazz Season Started With Thunderous Slam

SALT LAKE CITY – A new long-term contract may have added a little lift for Lauri Markkanen as the forward skied for a first-quarter alley-oop dunk.

The Jazz play the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2024-25 season opener on Wednesday, October 23.

woah woah woah, Lauri’s getting right to it 🫡#TakeNote | @Markkanenlauri pic.twitter.com/WQWNhNADB3

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) October 24, 2024

With the Jazz trailing by one in the opening minutes, second-year guard Keyonte George lofted a perfectly placed lob to the cutting Finnish forward. Markkanen rose above the defense and finished the pass with a right-handed slam.

The Jazz trail Memphis 23-16 with 2:30 left in the first quarter. Collin Sexton leads Utah with six points, while Santi Aldama paces Memphis with nine.

Markkanen signed a five-year extension in the offseason with Utah after averaging 23.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 3.2 threes per game last season. Markkanen has averaged 24.5 points on 49 percent shooting and 39.5 percent from deep in two seasons with Utah.

How to watch Memphis Grizzlies @ Utah Jazz

The Jazz open the regular season on Wednesday, October 23, at home against the Memphis Grizzlies at 7 p.m. MST. The game will be televised on KJZZ, streamed on Jazz+, and heard on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone.

Jazz 2024-25 Expectations

With a heavy emphasis on youth, the Jazz aren’t expected to compete for a playoff spot in the crowded Western Conference race.

While the Jazz will be happy to learn more about their eight players on the roster aged 23 or younger, the uber-talented 2025 NBA Draft class will likely also influence how the front office handles the roster throughout the season.

𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐆𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐃𝐀𝐘!

We caught up with Lauri and Brice ahead of the season opener to see what they’re looking forward to and find out if they still have pregame jitters before starting off a new season 🤔#ShootaroundInterviews presented by @ZionsBank

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) October 23, 2024

The Jazz enters the year competing with the Portland Trail Blazers for the worst record in the West. At the same time, fans will have to eye the Brooklyn Nets, Washington Wizards, Chicago Bulls, Detroit Pistons, Charlotte Hornets, and Toronto Raptors among cellar dwellers in the East.

Wins won’t be the measure of success for the Jazz; rather, the development of the team’s youth, cultural identity, and lottery standings will all be heavily weighed at the end of the season.

Utah Jazz-Memphis Grizzlies Gameday Coverage

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• Former Jazz Guard Talen Horton-Tucker Makes Bulls Roster

• Jazz Pick Up Options On Quartet Of Youngsters

• Cody Williams Defense Leads To Easy Dunk

• Utah Jazz Vets Clarkson, Mills Haven’t Lost Love For The Game

• Ryan Smith: ‘Rest Of The NBA Believes’ Jazz Are In Good Spot

• Jazz Mailbag: What Has Youth Showed In Preseason?

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Brian Preece is a KSLsports.com insider covering Locals in MLB and Salt Lake Bees. Follow Brian’s Bees and Beehive baseball coverage here.

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