Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen smiles
Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) celebrates with Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (00) after his game winning free throw in overtime during an NBA game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Feb. 23, 2023. Ryan Sun, Deseret News
Sarah Todd
By Sarah Todd
Sarah Todd covers the NBA and Utah Jazz for the Deseret News.

The Utah Jazz beat the Oklahoma City Thunder, 120-119, in an overtime thriller at Vivint Arena on Thursday night.

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Here are three keys that contributed to the Jazz’s win:

  • Lauri Markkanen finished with 43 points, 10 rebounds and three assists in the Jazz’s first game back from the All-Star break. He scored 24 of his game-high 43 in the fourth quarter and overtime and did it all while not having a very good night from beyond the arc.
  • The game went into overtime when Walker Kessler notched his seventh block of the night on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s final try at the buzzer at the end of regulation. He finished the game with seven points, 18 rebounds and seven blocks.
  • Both teams weren’t shooting the ball very well. They went into the game both averaging about 36% from 3-point range and both shot below 28% on the night. But some late free throws ended up being just as important as any long ball as Markkanen put the game away after being fouled taking a 3-pointer and hitting all three shots at the charity stripe.
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Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) celebrates with Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (00) after his game-winning free throw in overtime during an NBA game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Feb. 23, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) celebrates during an NBA game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Feb. 23, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) celebrates after a point during an NBA game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Feb. 23, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz guard Kris Dunn drives the ball during an NBA game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Feb. 23, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz guard Kris Dunn reacts after being surrounded in the paint during an NBA game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Feb. 23, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) looks for a pass during an NBA game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Feb. 23, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) drives the ball during an NBA game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Feb. 23, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz guard Kris Dunn (11) brings the ball up during an NBA game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Feb. 23, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (00) drives past Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) during an NBA game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Feb. 23, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (00) looks for a pass during an NBA game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Feb. 23, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz guard Talen Horton-Tucker (0) looks for a pass during an NBA game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Feb. 23, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) shoots the ball during an NBA game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Feb. 23, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz guard Talen Horton-Tucker (0) dunks the ball during an NBA game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Feb. 23, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz guard Talen Horton-Tucker (0) dunks the ball during an NBA game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Feb. 23, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler (24) reacts after a call during an NBA game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Feb. 23, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (00) shoots the ball as Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort (5) closes in during an NBA game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Feb. 23, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) celebrates after winning in overtime during an NBA game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Feb. 23, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) is congratulated by teammate Utah Jazz guard Ochai Agbaji (30) after his game-winning free throw attempt during an NBA game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Feb. 23, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Oklahoma City Thunder guard Josh Giddey (3) attempts a layup against Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler (24) during an NBA game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Feb. 23, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler (24) celebrates after a block during an NBA game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Feb. 23, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) lays the ball up during an NBA game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Feb. 23, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler (24) jumps to block a shot attempt by Oklahoma City Thunder guard Isaiah Joe (11) during an NBA game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Feb. 23, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz forward Kelly Olynyk (41) pokes the ball out of the hands of Oklahoma City Thunder guard Isaiah Joe (11) during an NBA game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Feb. 23, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Oklahoma City Thunder guard Josh Giddey (3) takes a shot attempt against Utah Jazz forward Juan Toscano-Anderson (95) during an NBA game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Feb. 23, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz guard Kris Dunn battles for a rebound with Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) during an NBA game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Feb. 23, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz forward Juan Toscano-Anderson (95) attempts to block Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) during an NBA game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Feb. 23, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) tries to drive past Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (00) during an NBA game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Feb. 23, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz guard Talen Horton-Tucker (0) jumps to block a shot attempt by Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort (5) during an NBA game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Feb. 23, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (00) celebrates after a three pointer during an NBA game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Feb. 23, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) wrestles Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort (5) for the ball during an NBA game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Feb. 23, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) dunks the ball during an NBA game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Feb. 23, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) posts up during an NBA game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Feb. 23, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) drives through Utah Jazz forward Juan Toscano-Anderson (95) and Utah Jazz guard Kris Dunn (11) during an NBA game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Feb. 23, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) is congratulated by Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler (24) during an NBA game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Feb. 23, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) extends for the ball during an NBA game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Feb. 23, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz guard Ochai Agbaji (30) grabs a rebound during an NBA game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Feb. 23, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) drives past Utah Jazz guard Ochai Agbaji (30) during an NBA game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Feb. 23, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy reacts during an NBA game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Feb. 23, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz guard Ochai Agbaji (30) reacts after a foul call during an NBA game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Feb. 23, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz guard Ochai Agbaji (30) signals to teammate Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (00) during an NBA game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Feb. 23, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Oklahoma City Thunder guard Josh Giddey (3) steals the ball from Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler (24) during an NBA game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Feb. 23, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) battles Oklahoma City Thunder forward Dario Saric (9) during an NBA game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Feb. 23, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) reacts after a non call during an NBA game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Feb. 23, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) drives to the paint during an NBA game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Feb. 23, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz guard Kris Dunn (11) lays the ball up during an NBA game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Feb. 23, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz forward Simone Fontecchio (16) shoots the ball during an NBA game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Feb. 23, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) lays the ball up during an NBA game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Feb. 23, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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