For the second year in a row, the Utah Jazz has fared fairly better than expected.
They followed a tough stretch by becoming one of the hottest teams in the league, and while some thought they were ready to become sellers, they might now even become buyers ahead of the trade deadline.
A lot of that has had to do with Lauri Markkanen’s continued breakout.
Markkanen has been on a tear since arriving in Utah, putting on an offensive clinic night in and night out.
That’s why Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle even went as far as to compare him with the legendary Dirk Nowitzki, stating that he’s the most similar player to Dirk in terms of being a seven-footer who can actually stretch the floor with his shooting (via Ryan Miller).
Rick Carlisle on Lauri Markkanen: “He’s the closest thing that I've seen to Nowitzki in terms of a seven footer that can really stretch the game out and play inside.”
— Ryan Miller (@millerjryan) January 16, 2024
Carlisle should know a thing or two about Nowitzki, as he coached him for years with the Dallas Mavericks.
Perhaps comparing Markkanen to the greatest shooting big man of all time is a bit of a stretch, and chances are Nowitzki would’ve been even more dominant as a scorer if he were in his prime in this era, but that’s still the ultimate compliment.
Markkanen has the size, length, quick release, and high arc to shoot over every single defender on Earth, and while he’s not very good on defense himself, his long arms can alter shots in the paint.
He doesn’t get enough recognition because of his small-market team, but he’s been playing like an All-NBA player.
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