<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/utah-jazz/3-lauri-markkanen-bold-predictions-for-finlands-eurobasket-semifinal-vs-germany');   ga('set', 'title', '3 Lauri Markkanen bold predictions for Finland’s Eurobasket semifinal vs Germany');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/3-Lauri-Markkanen-bold-predictions-for-Finland-s-Eurobasket-semifinal-vs-Germany.jpg"></figure><h1>3 Lauri Markkanen bold predictions for Finland’s Eurobasket semifinal vs Germany</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-11T06:15:39-07:00">September 11th, 6:15am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-11T06:15:39-07:00">September 11th, 6:15am</time><address><a>Rohan Brahmbhatt</a>Rohan Brahmbhatt is an adventure-driven sports writer, passionate footballer, mountaineer, and photojournalist. Rohan blends firsthand experience with storytelling—capturing the intensity of sport and the thrill of exploration. Whether on the field, a mountain trail, or behind the lens, he brings authentic, high-energy narratives that connect readers to the heart of the action.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The weight of history has often been too heavy for Finland on the European basketball stage, but in 2025, Lauri <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/eurobasket-news-lauri-markkanen-makes-history-electric-performance">Markkanen has shifted the balance</a>. Through seven grueling games at EuroBasket, Markkanen has averaged <a href="https://www.fiba.basketball/en/events/fiba-eurobasket-2025/teams/finland/196372-lauri-markkanen" rel="noopener">24.7 points and 7.9 rebounds</a>, carrying Finland into a semifinal clash against Germany.</p><p>The Germans enter this matchup full of confidence, fresh off eliminating Slovenia and Luka Dončić, and boast a roster that combines size, discipline, and relentless physicality. Yet, Finland has shown throughout the tournament that their identity is more than just Markkanen’s brilliance: it’s about resilience, collective execution, and seizing big moments.</p><p>The challenge is steep. Germany’s ability to throw multiple defenders at Markkanen while maintaining rim protection and perimeter pressure makes them a nightmare matchup. Still, Markkanen has shown the capacity to adapt, to shift from volume scoring to efficient shot-making when the defense bends toward him. He is the reason Finland believes it can not only hang with Germany, but potentially shock them. With everything on the line and a ticket to the EuroBasket final at stake, here are three bold predictions for Markkanen’s semifinal performance.</p><h2><b>Lauri Markkanen needs to score 30+ points against Germany’s defense</b></h2><p>Germany’s calling card is physical defense. They know how to swarm stars, use length to contest shots, and make offensive engines work for every basket. Against Dončić in the quarterfinals, they forced him into a high-volume game that drained Slovenia’s flow. They’ll attempt the same with Markkanen, likely throwing a combination of Franz Wagner, Johannes Thiemann, and switching schemes to slow him down.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Lauri Markkanen rallies the Finnish fans with their traditional chant ❤️🇫🇮🗣️</p><p>Finland reaches the <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroBasket?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroBasket</a> semifinals for the first time in history!</p><p>Watch all the EuroBasket action live on <a href="https://twitter.com/courtside1891?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@courtside1891</a>: <a href="https://t.co/fPC0xWqtRn">https://t.co/fPC0xWqtRn</a> <a href="https://t.co/gcodaJIEzc">pic.twitter.com/gcodaJIEzc</a></p><p>— NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1965811053343945064?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>But Markkanen is not Luka Dončić. His game is built around movement, catch-and-shoot rhythm, and the ability to attack from multiple levels. He’s not burdened with running the offense possession after possession. Instead, he thrives off sets that put him in motion: curling around screens, catching in the mid-post, or dragging big men to the perimeter where his release is nearly impossible to contest. His efficiency this tournament underscores his adaptability: shooting 52% on twos and nearly 44% from the field despite drawing the top defender every game.</p><p>The Germany game is where Finland will lean on its full scoring arsenal. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/utah-jazz/3-lauri-markkanen-bold-predictions-for-finlands-eurobasket-2025-run">Markkanen has shown he can live</a> at the free-throw line, averaging nearly nine attempts per game and hitting 88%. If Germany plays overly physical, he will punish them at the stripe. If they sag, he can stretch the floor with the three-ball. What makes this prediction bold isn’t just the 30-point marker, but the context: he’ll be doing it against a defense that prides itself on erasing stars. For Finland to win, Markkanen must bend that defense in his favor, and the semifinal sets up perfectly for him to have his most explosive night yet.</p><h2><b>Markkanen will deliver a double-double with a defensive edge</b></h2><p>Scoring may be what puts Markkanen on highlight reels, but Finland’s path to victory also hinges on his rebounding and defensive presence. Against Montenegro earlier in the tournament, Markkanen pulled down 13 rebounds, showcasing his ability to dominate the glass even when facing bruising frontlines. Germany will test this again, bringing size and depth with Daniel Theis and Moritz Wagner crashing the boards. If Finland is to limit Germany’s second-chance opportunities, Markkanen cannot simply be a scorer; he must be a rebounder and defensive anchor.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">THE MAN WHO CHANGED FINNISH BASKETBALL FOREVER.</p><p>LAURI MARKKANEN DROPS 29 PTS TO ELIMINATE JOKIC &amp; SERBIA!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EUROBASKET?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EUROBASKET</a> <a href="https://t.co/dN2IRgyrnC">pic.twitter.com/dN2IRgyrnC</a></p><p>— FIBA EuroBasket (@EuroBasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroBasket/status/1964442803116618180?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 6, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>The bold prediction is that Markkanen will not only secure a double-double but will also have at least a couple of defining defensive plays, whether a critical block at the rim or a late-game stop against Wagner or Theis. Markkanen’s length has always been a weapon, but in the NBA and now in FIBA competition, his footwork and anticipation have improved. He’s no longer just a scorer; he’s a two-way force.</p><p>Germany thrives on rhythm. They rely on forcing turnovers, running in transition, and moving the ball inside-out. Finland will have to disrupt that, and Markkanen’s defense can be a swing factor. If he can combine his expected scoring punch with game-changing rebounds and key stops, Finland will have a fighting chance to outlast Germany. The semifinal won’t just be about Markkanen’s offense; it will be about his complete presence, reminding the continent that he’s not only a bucket-getter but an all-around star.</p><h2><b>Markkanen will hit the game’s defining shot</b></h2><p>Every tournament run has its iconic moment, a play that defines a team’s story. For Finland, their semifinal against Germany feels destined to come down to the final minutes, where possessions are magnified and stars rise above schemes. This is where Lauri Markkanen has the chance to etch his name into Finnish basketball history with a defining shot.</p><p>He’s already proven he can be a closer. In the group stage, his clutch scoring against Sweden and Great Britain turned close contests into comfortable finishes. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/eurobasket-news-lauri-markkanen-reacts-finlands-upset-serbia">Against Serbia in the Round of 16</a>, he poured in 29 points despite inefficiency, willing Finland into the quarterfinals. Now, against Germany, the stakes are higher and the pressure heavier.</p><p>The bold prediction here is that Markkanen won’t just lead in scoring or rebounding, he’ll be the one to take and make the decisive shot in the final moments. Whether it’s a step-back three, a tough turnaround jumper, or a foul drawn on a driving attack, Markkanen has the composure and confidence to embrace the biggest moment of Finland’s modern basketball history. For a team chasing its first-ever EuroBasket final, it only feels right that their star delivers the dagger.</p><h2><b>Will this be Finland’s moment?</b></h2><p>Germany enters this game as the favorite, and rightfully so. They’ve beaten Slovenia and showcased their depth and discipline. But Finland, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/utah-jazz/lauri-markkanen-bold-predictions-finland-eurobasket-georgia">led by Lauri Markkanen</a>, has embodied persistence all tournament long. Every game has demanded that they claw, adjust, and trust in their star to guide them forward.</p><p>Markkanen’s semifinal performance will be the pivot point. If he meets the bold predictions: scoring over 30 points, recording a double-double with defensive impact, and sealing the game with a defining shot, Finland could make history by advancing to the EuroBasket final. It will not be easy, and Germany will test every fiber of their will. But for Markkanen, this is the game that can transform his EuroBasket from impressive to legendary.</p><p>In the end, great tournaments are remembered not just by who wins, but by who dares to rise when the challenge seems insurmountable. Markkanen has already shown he belongs among Europe’s elite. Against Germany, he now has the chance to become unforgettable.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

3 Lauri Markkanen bold predictions for Finland’s Eurobasket semifinal vs Germany

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/utah-jazz/lauri-markkanen-bold-predictions-finland-eurobasket-georgia');   ga('set', 'title', '3 Lauri Markkanen bold predictions for Finland’s EuroBasket quarterfinal vs. Georgia');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/3-Lauri-Markkanen-bold-predictions-for-Finlandss-EuroBasket-quarterfinal-vs.-Georgia.jpg"></figure><h1>3 Lauri Markkanen bold predictions for Finland’s EuroBasket quarterfinal vs. Georgia</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-09T11:50:51-07:00">September 9th, 11:50am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-09T11:50:51-07:00">September 9th, 11:50am</time><address><a>Rohan Brahmbhatt</a>Rohan Brahmbhatt is an adventure-driven sports writer, passionate footballer, mountaineer, and photojournalist. Rohan blends firsthand experience with storytelling—capturing the intensity of sport and the thrill of exploration. Whether on the field, a mountain trail, or behind the lens, he brings authentic, high-energy narratives that connect readers to the heart of the action.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Finland’s EuroBasket journey has been as spirited as it has been inspiring. With four wins and two losses in the group stage, the team has shown resilience, chemistry, and flashes of brilliance that have carried them into the quarterfinals. At the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/eurobasket-news-lauri-markkanen-reacts-finlands-upset-serbia">heart of it all has been Lauri Markkanen</a>, Finland’s centerpiece and the player who has put the nation on the basketball map. Through six games, Markkanen has averaged 26 points per game while shouldering immense responsibility on both ends of the floor. His blend of scoring, rebounding, and leadership has made him the defining figure of Finland’s tournament run.</p><p>Yet now comes the steepest climb of all: a quarterfinal clash with Georgia. A team that has grown stronger with each game, Georgia represents the disciplined, physical, and confident opponent that can test Finland’s limits. With seasoned interior players and defensive schemes designed to frustrate stars, Georgia is not an easy draw for Finland. But in tournaments like this, the difference between survival and elimination often comes down to whether a superstar can rise above circumstances. For Finland, that question begins and ends with Markkanen.</p><p>This game is more than another chapter in Finland’s story; it is <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/nikola-jokic-serbia-upset-by-lauri-markkanen-finland-in-eurobasket-round-of-16">Markkanen’s stage to prove himself</a> as one of Europe’s elite. With the stakes at their highest, bold predictions for his quarterfinal performance feel fitting. Here’s what to expect from Finland’s talisman in this decisive matchup against Georgia.</p><h2><b>Lauri Markkanen explodes for 35+ points</b></h2><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/eurobasket-news-lauri-markkanen-makes-history-electric-performance">Markkanen has been a scoring machine</a> throughout EuroBasket, <a href="https://www.fiba.basketball/en/events/fiba-eurobasket-2025/teams/finland/196372-lauri-markkanen" rel="noopener">averaging 26 points</a> per game despite defenses designed to slow him down. His scoring package has evolved in ways that make him virtually unstoppable at this level. He combines a reliable mid-range jumper, a willingness to attack the paint, and the size to draw fouls consistently. His 88 percent free-throw shooting shows how deadly he is when he gets to the line, and with nearly 10 attempts per game, he is forcing defenses to pay every time they play him.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">THE MAN WHO CHANGED FINNISH BASKETBALL FOREVER.</p><p>LAURI MARKKANEN DROPS 29 PTS TO ELIMINATE JOKIC &amp; SERBIA!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EUROBASKET?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EUROBASKET</a> <a href="https://t.co/dN2IRgyrnC">pic.twitter.com/dN2IRgyrnC</a></p><p>— FIBA EuroBasket (@EuroBasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroBasket/status/1964442803116618180?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 6, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>The bold prediction here is that Markkanen elevates his scoring even higher in the quarterfinal, eclipsing 35 points against Georgia. It may sound ambitious, but the matchup almost demands it. Finland’s supporting cast has been reliable, but Georgia’s defensive schemes will likely pressure the secondary options, forcing Markkanen to take on more volume. With his ability to knock down threes, attack closeouts, and punish defenders inside, he has the versatility to beat whatever coverage Georgia throws at him.</p><p>Markkanen has had nights like this before in international play, where the rhythm comes early and never stops. If he finds his touch from deep while continuing to live at the free-throw line, Finland could see a historic performance. His scoring outburst may not just be about numbers; it could be the defining reason Finland secures a place in the semifinals.</p><h2><b>Markkanen dominates the glass with a double-double</b></h2><p>Georgia has prided itself on its size and interior presence, but Markkanen is not the kind of player to be bullied in the paint. Averaging over eight rebounds per game in this tournament, he has already proven his commitment to battling on the boards. What makes him unique is his ability to rebound in traffic while also initiating fast breaks with his length and ball-handling. Against Georgia, those rebounds will be even more critical.</p><p>The bold prediction here is that Markkanen not only scores at a high level but also grabs 12 or more rebounds to secure a dominant double-double. With Georgia likely trying to slow the pace and grind possessions, every rebound becomes magnified. Limiting Georgia to one shot while creating extra possessions for Finland could tilt the balance of the game.</p><p>Markkanen’s defensive rebounding will be vital in keeping Georgia’s big men off the glass, but his offensive rebounding could be equally impactful. With his size and timing, second-chance points could be a way for him to pile on scoring opportunities. This kind of double-double performance would symbolize not just Markkanen’s offensive brilliance but his all-around dominance in a game that demands physicality.</p><h2><b>Markkanen delivers the game-winning play</b></h2><p>EuroBasket quarterfinals are often decided not by the box score but by one or two moments of brilliance in crunch time. While Markkanen has already been Finland’s star throughout the tournament, the biggest games require a different level of poise and leadership. Against Georgia, the final minutes will almost certainly be tight, with both teams clawing for every possession. This is where stars define their legacies.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">43 points… in 23 minutes 😱</p><p>Lauri Markkanen's second-career 40-point <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroBasket?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroBasket</a> performance powered Finland to a W! <a href="https://t.co/ZAVCiRKYKq">pic.twitter.com/ZAVCiRKYKq</a></p><p>— NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1961523900942356971?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 29, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>The bold prediction here is that Markkanen makes the game-winning play that seals Finland’s victory. It could come in the form of a dagger three, a strong drive to the basket, or even a defensive stop on Georgia’s best scorer. Markkanen has shown throughout his career that he thrives when the spotlight shines brightest, and there is little doubt that Finland will look to him in those moments.</p><p>Picture the scenario: a tie game with under a minute to go, Finland inbounding the ball. Markkanen pops free on the wing, catches in rhythm, and buries a three to give Finland the lead. Or perhaps he backs down his defender in the post and forces a foul, calmly draining both free throws with the weight of the tournament on his shoulders. In either case, it would be Markkanen’s fingerprints on the decisive play, cementing his place as the hero of Finland’s quarterfinal run.</p><h2><b>Finland’s path runs through its superstar</b></h2><p>Every tournament has its defining players, and for Finland, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/utah-jazz/3-lauri-markkanen-bold-predictions-for-finlands-eurobasket-2025-run">that mantle belongs to Lauri Markkanen</a>. With his scoring, rebounding, and leadership, he has already pushed Finland further than many expected. But against Georgia, the quarterfinal is more than a test of Finland’s team; it is a test of Markkanen’s ability to carry his country on his shoulders when it matters most.</p><p>A 35-point scoring explosion, a dominant double-double, and a clutch game-winning play are bold predictions. Still, they are also the kinds of performances that great players summon in defining moments. Markkanen has the tools, the confidence, and the responsibility to deliver them all.</p><p>If Finland is to reach the semifinals of EuroBasket 2025, it will almost certainly be because Markkanen played like the best player on the floor. And if he does, this quarterfinal could go down not just as a win for Finland but as the game that confirmed Lauri Markkanen’s status as one of Europe’s most complete and clutch stars.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

3 Lauri Markkanen bold predictions for Finland’s EuroBasket quarterfinal vs. Georgia

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/nba-stories/eurobasket-news-lauri-markkanen-reacts-finlands-upset-serbia');   ga('set', 'title', 'Lauri Markkanen reacts to Finland’s ‘unreal’ upset over Serbia in EuroBasket round of 16');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Jazz-news-Lauri-Markkanens-Olympic-status-for-Finland-gets-final-update.jpg"></figure><h1>Lauri Markkanen reacts to Finland’s ‘unreal’ upset over Serbia in EuroBasket round of 16</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-06T16:24:57-07:00">September 6th, 4:24pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-07T09:05:27-07:00">September 7th, 9:05am</time><address><a>Abdullah Imran</a>Abdullah Imran works as an Associate Editor for All Sports at ClutchPoints. He’s been a sports fan his entire life and enjoys writing about every sport. He has spent three years in sports journalism and loves analyzing games. In his free time, he very much enjoys binge-watching shows and playing video games.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Serbia’s EuroBasket 2025 dreams came crashing down in Riga, where <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/nikola-jokic-serbia-upset-by-lauri-markkanen-finland-in-eurobasket-round-of-16">Finland shocked the favorites with a 92-86 win</a> in the Round of 16 on Saturday. The result ended Nikola Jokic’s campaign early for the second consecutive tournament and propelled Finland into the quarterfinals for the second straight time in their history.</p><p>Utah Jazz forward <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/utah-jazz/3-lauri-markkanen-bold-predictions-for-finlands-eurobasket-2025-run">Lauri Markkanen led Finland</a> with 29 points, adding 8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 steals while shooting 12-of-13 from the free-throw line.</p><p>“Unreal,” Markkanen <a href="https://x.com/BasketNews_com/status/1964442659671724234" rel="noopener">said after the game</a>. “Great performance by the team. We needed every single one of them tonight, everybody in the stands, the staff, the players. Big credit to them. We’re not done yet, but we’re gonna enjoy this. Obviously, that’s a heck of a team we just beat, and now we move forward.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Utah Jazz and Finland's star Lauri Markkanen admitted it's an unreal feeling, saying it is one of the biggest victories in his career 🗣️🇫🇮 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EuroBasket?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EuroBasket</a> </p><p>Read more: <a href="https://t.co/ol0mXR02bh">https://t.co/ol0mXR02bh</a> <a href="https://t.co/xDwjtE8LPM">pic.twitter.com/xDwjtE8LPM</a></p><p>— BasketNews (@BasketNews_com) <a href="https://twitter.com/BasketNews_com/status/1964442659671724234?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 6, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>It was Finland’s first victory over Serbia since 2009, breaking an eight-game losing streak, and was the nation’s first-ever back-to-back quarterfinal appearances. For Serbia, it was a painful repeat of their Round of 16 elimination to Italy in 2022.</p><p>Finland opened the game with an 11-1 run and led 16-5 after the first quarter. Serbia responded, tying the game at 28-28 and entering halftime ahead 48-44, with Jokic scoring 16 of his 33 points in the opening half. The Finns battled back in the third, seizing a 68-66 advantage.</p><p>The fourth quarter turned into a thriller. Serbia surged ahead 77-75 with a 6-0 run, but Elias Valtonen delivered a decisive stretch, scoring 8 of his 13 points in the final two minutes. His two three-pointers and tip-in pushed Finland to an 87-81 lead with under a minute remaining. Serbia’s comeback attempt fell short despite Jokic hitting a late three-pointer.</p><p>Finland grabbed 20 offensive boards, repeatedly extending possessions and punishing Serbia’s defense. Four Finnish players scored in double figures, including Markkanen (29), Mikael Jantunen (15), Valtonen (13), and 19-year-old Miro Little (13 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals).</p><p>Serbia leaned heavily on Jokic, who posted 33 points on 9-of-13 shooting and 14-of-19 at the line, with 8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals. Nikola Jovic contributed 20 points, while no other Serbian reached double figures. From deep, the Serbian side never found their rhythm, finishing just 29 percent from three.</p><p>Finland now awaits the winner of France vs. Georgia in the quarterfinals, with a chance to secure the best finish in the country’s basketball history.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Lauri Markkanen reacts to Finland’s ‘unreal’ upset over Serbia in EuroBasket round of 16

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/nba-stories/nikola-jokic-serbia-upset-by-lauri-markkanen-finland-in-eurobasket-round-of-16');   ga('set', 'title', 'Nikola Jokic, Serbia upset by Lauri Markkanen, Finland in EuroBasket round of 16');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Jokic.jpg"><figcaption>Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Nikola Jokic, Serbia upset by Lauri Markkanen, Finland in EuroBasket round of 16</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-06T15:31:29-07:00">September 6th, 3:31pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-07T08:25:27-07:00">September 7th, 8:25am</time><address><a>Abdullah Imran</a>Abdullah Imran works as an Associate Editor for All Sports at ClutchPoints. He’s been a sports fan his entire life and enjoys writing about every sport. He has spent three years in sports journalism and loves analyzing games. In his free time, he very much enjoys binge-watching shows and playing video games.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Denver Nuggets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Finland produced the biggest shock of EuroBasket 2025, perhaps even the century, <a href="https://x.com/EuroBasket/status/1964431651590812041" rel="noopener">by knocking out tournament favorites</a> Serbia 92-86 in the Round of 16 at Arena Riga on Saturday. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/houston-rockets/eurobasket-news-alperen-sengun-thing-clear-nikola-jokic-win">The loss cut short Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic’s run</a>, sending the three-time NBA MVP home early for the second tournament in a row.</p><p>This was Finland’s first win over Serbia since 2009, snapping an eight-game losing streak, and securing back-to-back quarterfinal appearances for the first time in their history. For Serbia, it was deja vu after also falling in the Round of 16 in 2022 against Italy.</p><p>Finland came out firing, racing to an 11-1 lead and finishing the first quarter up 16-5. Serbia clawed back to tie the game at 28-28 in the second quarter and went into halftime ahead 48-44, with Jokic scoring 16 first-half points. But the Finns refused to fold, keeping the score tight and entering the final quarter with a 68-66 advantage.</p><p>The game swung back and forth in the last 10 minutes. Serbia went on a 6-0 run to lead 77-75 with under five minutes left, but Elias Valtonen turned the contest with a remarkable stretch. Valtonen scored 8 of his 13 points in the final two minutes, including two three-pointers and a tip-in, putting Finland up 87-81 with 53 seconds to play.</p><p>Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen, Finland’s star and one of the tournament’s top scorers, anchored the team with 29 points, 7–8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3–4 steals, depending on the source. Mikael Jantunen added 15 points, while 19-year-old Miro Little impressed with 13 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals. In total, four Finns scored in double figures.</p><p>On the Serbian side, Jokic poured in 33 points on 9-of-13 shooting from the field and 14-of-19 at the free-throw line, adding 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block. Nikola Jovic was the only other Serbian in double figures, finishing with 20 points along with 4 rebounds. Ognjen Dobric chipped in 9 points and 5 boards, while Vasilije Micic had 8 points and 4 assists.</p><p>Statistically, Finland’s rebounding dominance proved decisive. They grabbed 20 offensive rebounds, repeatedly punishing Serbia after missed shots. On the other hand, Serbia struggled from long range, converting just 29 percent of their three-point attempts.</p><p>The loss prolongs Serbia’s drought for a EuroBasket title, which dates back to 2001. Jokic, despite his individual brilliance, remains without a medal in the competition. For many Serbian fans, the result raises doubts about whether the nation’s golden chance for glory with their NBA superstar has slipped away.</p><p>Finland advances to face the winner of France vs. Georgia in the quarterfinals. Lithuania, Turkey, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/eurobasket-news-franz-wagner-leads-germany-into-eurobasket-quarterfinals">and Germany are already through</a>, and now Markkanen and company are chasing the best EuroBasket finish in Finland’s history.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Nikola Jokic, Serbia upset by Lauri Markkanen, Finland in EuroBasket round of 16

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/nba-stories/eurobasket-news-lauri-markkanen-makes-history-electric-performance');   ga('set', 'title', 'Lauri Markkanen makes history EuroBasket with electric performance');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Jazz-forward-Lauri-Markkanen-i.jpg"><figcaption>Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Lauri Markkanen makes history EuroBasket with electric performance</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-08-29T13:34:17-07:00">August 29th, 1:34pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-08-29T13:34:17-07:00">August 29th, 1:34pm</time><address><a>Josue Pavon</a>Josue Pavon is an Associate Editor and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat writer for ClutchPoints. He started his career as a credentialed media member writing about the Boston Celtics for WEEI.com in Boston, where he grew into a local on-camera NBA reporter and podcast host for CLNS Media. Alongside the Celtics radio broadcaster and two-time NBA champion Cedric Maxwell, Josue is the co-host of the Cedric Maxwell podcast.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA Stories</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>After Utah Jazz forward <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/utah-jazz/eurobasket-news-lauri-markkanen-gives-jazz-fans-hope-dominant-opener-finland">Lauri Markkanen’s dominant performance in Finland’s EuroBasket opener</a>, he followed up his 28-point performance against Sweden with a masterpiece. In a 109-79 blowout win against Great Britain, Markkanen netted a whopping 43 points on 13-of-22 attempts, including 7-for-13 from deep, and four steals in 23 minutes.</p><p>Markkanen was on fire while <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1961508540935541233" rel="noopener">connecting on six threes</a>, which kept Great Britain at bay for most of the game.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Lauri Markkanen is UNCONSCIOUS 🤯</p><p>Markkanen has a EuroBasket-high 43 points as Finland is blowing out Great Britain 🔥</p><p>(via <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroBasket?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroBasket</a>)<a href="https://t.co/4cutZNPmNF">pic.twitter.com/4cutZNPmNF</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1961508540935541233?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 29, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Markkanen made seven of Finland’s 18 threes throughout the game as Finland made half of their attempts from behind the arc (18-36) against Great Britain. Finland’s Sasu Salin also connected on seven threes, finishing with 21 points, second to Marrkanen’s team-high 43.</p><p>Scoring 43 points in Friday’s win, Markkanen etched his name in EuroBasket history for a second time as one of the players with the highest point total in a single game. After scoring 43 points for Finland in 2022, he’s once again tied Hall of Fame German forward Dirk Nowitzki, Spain’s Emiliana Rodriguez (1967), Greece’s Niko Galis, and Giorgos Kolokithas for tenth all-time.</p><h2><b>Lauri Markkanen makes EuroBasket history for Finland</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Jazz-forward-Lauri-Markkanen-ii.jpg"><figcaption>Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>While it wasn’t the first time Jazz All-Star Lauri Markkanen has scored 40+ points for Finland, his scoring has been on a hot streak over the past week. After <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/utah-jazz/jazz-news-lauri-markkanen-goes-off-42-points-24-minutes-eurobasket-warmup">Markkanen drained 48 points in 24 minutes</a> in a EuroBasket exhibition against Belgium, he finished with 43 in Finland’s second matchup of EuroBasket 2025 to follow up his 28-point game against Sweden.</p><p>His efficient scoring has set the tone for Finland in both games, leading to a 2-0 record out of the gate. Markkanen has been working extra hard on this game this offseason, which should be good news for Jazz fans who will want to see at least one polished NBA veteran on the court amid what figures to be a brutal rebuilding year.</p><p>He will be entering his fourth season with the Jazz, marking the first year of his four-year, $195.8 million contract, which is worth $46.3 million in the 2025-26 season. However, ahead of what’s projected to be another rebuilding year for the Jazz, could 2025-26 be the campaign a contending team poaches the talented stretch big from the Jazz? Markkanen could be a name we hear often ahead of the NBA trade deadline.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Lauri Markkanen makes history EuroBasket with electric performance

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/utah-jazz/eurobasket-news-lauri-markkanen-gives-jazz-fans-hope-dominant-opener-finland');   ga('set', 'title', 'Lauri Markkanen gives Jazz fans hope with dominant EuroBasket opener for Finland');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Jazz-and-Finland-forward-Lauri-Markkanen.jpg"><figcaption>Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Lauri Markkanen gives Jazz fans hope with dominant EuroBasket opener for Finland</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-08-27T14:38:43-07:00">August 27th, 2:38pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-08-27T14:38:43-07:00">August 27th, 2:38pm</time><address><a>Josue Pavon</a>Josue Pavon is an Associate Editor and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat writer for ClutchPoints. He started his career as a credentialed media member writing about the Boston Celtics for WEEI.com in Boston, where he grew into a local on-camera NBA reporter and podcast host for CLNS Media. Alongside the Celtics radio broadcaster and two-time NBA champion Cedric Maxwell, Josue is the co-host of the Cedric Maxwell podcast.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Amid the EuroBasket 2025 tournament, Utah <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/utah-jazz/3-lauri-markkanen-bold-predictions-for-finlands-eurobasket-2025-run">Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen is playing for Finland</a> and didn’t disappoint in their first-round opening matchup against Sweden. Finland edged out Sweden 93-90 to secure their first win of EuroBasket 2025.</p><p>Markkanen <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1960789548767883348" rel="noopener">finished with</a> 28 points on 7-of-15 attempts, including 2-of-4 from deep, six rebounds, three assists, and two steals against Sweden.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Led by Lauri Markkanen, Finland notches an opening day win over Sweden in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EuroBasket?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EuroBasket</a> 2025 🔥</p><p>28 points          7-of-15 FG<br>6 rebounds      2-of-4 3PT<br>3 assists           12-of-14 FT<br>2 steals<a href="https://twitter.com/EuroBasket?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroBasket</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/courtside1891?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@courtside1891</a> <a href="https://t.co/V9zSSiCUBZ">pic.twitter.com/V9zSSiCUBZ</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1960789548767883348?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 27, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Despite making 62.1% of their attempts, Sweden failed to close out Markkanen and Finland in the second half, connecting on 12-of-26 of their threes to seal a victory for Finland.</p><h2><b>Lauri Markkanen goes off for 42 points in Finland’s exhibition</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Jazz-forward-Lauri-Markkanen.jpg"><figcaption>Rob Gray-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Utah Jazz forward <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/utah-jazz/jazz-news-lauri-markkanen-goes-off-42-points-24-minutes-eurobasket-warmup">Lauri Markkanen was heating up for EuroBasket 2025</a>. After going off throughout Finland’s exhibition games, it set the stage for his 28-point performance that they needed to beat Sweden in a nail-biter. During Sunday’s 97-88 victory against Poland, Markkanen <a href="https://x.com/ClutchPoints/status/1957100076108579029" rel="noopener">went off</a>, scoring 42 points and finishing with 12 rebounds and three blocks on 10-of-17 shooting in 24 minutes, which made his performance all the more impressive.</p><p>Finland’s exhibition win followed contests of 31 points and 48 points for Markkanen during the EuroBasket exhibition contests against Belgium. Markkanen’s 48 points set a Finland national team record in his hometown of Jyväskylä, Finland, on August 8.</p><p>Markkanen has been working extra hard on this game this offseason, which should be good news for Jazz fans who will want to see at least one polished NBA veteran on the court amid what figures to be a brutal rebuilding year. Could 2025-26 be the season we see Markkanen traded? He will be entering his fourth season with the Jazz, marking the first year of his four-year, $195.8 million contract, which is worth $46.3 million in the 2025-26 season.</p><p>Despite his new deal, the Jazz wouldn’t go so far as to label Marrkanen as off-limits for a potential trade, per ESPN insiders.</p><p>“It would be too much to describe Markkanen as untouchable, but the Jazz still project the All-Star forward as a key player in their future core,” ESPN’s insiders wrote.</p><p>“Utah listened to offers for Markkanen last summer, but none of the talks with other teams ever came close to tempting CEO Danny Ainge and GM Justin Zanik to make a trade. The Jazz ultimately awarded Markkanen a five-year, $238 million maximum renegotiation and extension, allowing him to sign the deal last Aug. 7 and making him ineligible to be traded before last season’s deadline.”</p><p>Perhaps interest in Markkanen will pique new trade proposals and the Jazz’s interest ahead of the upcoming season’s trade deadline.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Lauri Markkanen gives Jazz fans hope with dominant EuroBasket opener for Finland

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/utah-jazz/3-lauri-markkanen-bold-predictions-for-finlands-eurobasket-2025-run');   ga('set', 'title', '3 Lauri Markkanen bold predictions for Finland’s EuroBasket 2025 run');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Lauri-Markkanen.jpg"><figcaption>Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>3 Lauri Markkanen bold predictions for Finland’s EuroBasket 2025 run</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-08-27T05:25:16-07:00">August 27th, 5:25am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-08-27T05:31:55-07:00">August 27th, 5:31am</time><address><a>Rohan Brahmbhatt</a>Rohan Brahmbhatt is an adventure-driven sports writer, passionate footballer, mountaineer, and photojournalist. Rohan blends firsthand experience with storytelling—capturing the intensity of sport and the thrill of exploration. Whether on the field, a mountain trail, or behind the lens, he brings authentic, high-energy narratives that connect readers to the heart of the action.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Finland may not be considered a traditional basketball powerhouse, but one thing is clear heading into EuroBasket 2025: the team has one of the best players in the tournament. Lauri Markkanen, fresh off an All-Star campaign with the Utah Jazz, has become a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/utah-jazz/jazz-rumors-utah-lauri-markkanen-trade-intentions-fire-sale">global star and the centerpiece of Finland’s rise</a> on the international basketball stage. His combination of size, skill, and shot-making makes him a matchup nightmare for even the strongest defenses in Europe.</p><p>While Finland has struggled to get past the Round of 16 in recent EuroBasket tournaments, Markkanen gives it a puncher’s chance every single night. After averaging 27.9 points per game in EuroBasket 2022 and following it up with a scorching run of friendly performances this summer, including a <a href="https://basketnews.com/news-229083-lauri-markkanen-drops-record-breaking-performance-in-eurobasket-2025-prep-game.html" rel="noopener">48-point explosion</a> against Belgium, Markkanen looks like a man on a mission.</p><p>With Finland set to compete in Group B alongside Germany, Lithuania, Montenegro, Sweden, and Great Britain, expectations are both realistic and optimistic: get out of the group, push for a Round of 16 win, and ride Markkanen’s brilliance as far as it can take them. That said, here are three bold predictions for what fans can expect from Lauri Markkanen at EuroBasket 2025.</p><h2><b>Lauri Markkanen will have a 50-point game</b></h2><p>International basketball has produced some legendary scoring outbursts, from Dirk Nowitzki’s dominance with Germany to Luis Scola’s brilliance with Argentina. Markkanen is the next great forward in this mold, and he already hinted at it during Finland’s friendlies this summer, torching Belgium for 48 points in just 25 minutes. He did it efficiently too, shooting 17-of-24 from the floor and 7-of-13 from deep while adding rebounds, steals, and a block.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">🇫🇮 <a href="https://twitter.com/MarkkanenLauri?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MarkkanenLauri</a> drops a national team career-high 48 PTS in <a href="https://twitter.com/basketfinland?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@basketfinland</a>'s win in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EuroBasket?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EuroBasket</a> preparation game! 🥶<a href="https://twitter.com/utahjazz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UtahJazz</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBA</a></p><p>Read more ⬇️</p><p>— FIBA EuroBasket (@EuroBasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroBasket/status/1953871997135405272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 8, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>It feels inevitable that Markkanen will deliver at least one jaw-dropping performance like this on the EuroBasket stage. With Finland likely needing every ounce of his scoring against elite defenses such as Germany and Lithuania, Markkanen is going to be asked to take on an enormous offensive load. If he catches fire from beyond the arc, gets to the rim at will, and draws fouls, a 50-piece isn’t just possible, it’s probable.</p><p>This wouldn’t just be a personal highlight either. A 50-point game at EuroBasket would immediately go down as one of the most iconic individual performances in Finnish basketball history. It would also vault Markkanen into the conversation as one of the tournament’s true superstars, alongside the likes of Luka Dončić, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Nikola Jokić. Finland doesn’t need him to score 50 every night, but one explosion could be enough to push them through a knockout round or take down a heavyweight opponent.</p><h2><b>Markkanen will finish as a top 3 scorer</b></h2><p>Markkanen’s scoring ability isn’t just about volume; it’s about versatility. At 7 feet tall, he can play inside-out, shoot over smaller defenders, and blow by slower bigs. He’s lethal in transition, has improved his strength to battle inside, and has developed into one of the NBA’s most efficient scoring forwards. At EuroBasket 2022, he already averaged close to 28 points per game, and his offensive role with Finland has only grown since then.</p><p>The bold call here is that Markkanen will not just be one of the better scorers in the tournament, but will finish in the top three overall, competing with the likes of Dončić, Giannis, and France’s Victor Wembanyama for the scoring crown. This isn’t out of reach when you consider how much Finland relies on him. Unlike some of the other international stars, who have NBA-level teammates to share the load, Markkanen will have the green light on nearly every possession.</p><p>Finland’s path through Group B gives him plenty of opportunities to rack up points. He could dominate against Sweden and Great Britain, where his size and shooting will be overwhelming. Against tougher defenses like Germany and Lithuania, he’ll need to carry the offense in half-court sets. The sheer variety of matchups means he’ll likely average north of 25 points per game, keeping him in the mix for the scoring title.</p><p>If Markkanen ends EuroBasket 2025 as a top-three scorer, it will not only boost his already growing international reputation, but also cement Finland’s ability to compete beyond the group stage. Every major upset in international play starts with a star who can’t be contained, and Finland has its in Markkanen.</p><h2><b>Markkanen will lead Finland to its first EuroBasket quarterfinals since 1967</b></h2><p>It’s been nearly six decades since Finland last made it to the quarterfinals of EuroBasket, but if there was ever a year to break that drought, it’s 2025. Markkanen is playing the best basketball of his life, and while Finland’s supporting cast may not be stacked with NBA names, the group has chemistry, experience, and an identity built around their star forward.</p><p>Finland has exited in the Round of 16 in each of its last two EuroBasket appearances, falling to Italy in 2017 and Spain in 2022. This time around, the path looks slightly more favorable. Getting out of Group B seems like a near-lock, with Sweden and Great Britain unlikely to pose real threats. That leaves Finland fighting for position against Montenegro, Lithuania, and Germany. Even if they finish third or fourth in the group, their knockout matchup will be winnable if Markkanen is at his best.</p><p>The bold prediction here is that Finland not only survives the group stage, but wins its Round of 16 matchup to finally punch a ticket to the quarterfinals. That would represent a historic moment for Finnish basketball and a validation of Markkanen’s place among the world’s best players. For a country ranked just 20th by FIBA, breaking through to the final eight of Europe’s most competitive tournament would be an incredible achievement.</p><p>Markkanen has shown that he can rise to the moment with the national team before; his 43-point outburst against Croatia in 2022 carried Finland to victory and proved he can carry the team past more talented opponents. Expect him to replicate that kind of heroism when Finland’s tournament life is on the line.</p><h2><b>What it means for Finland</b></h2><p>Lauri Markkanen isn’t just Finland’s best player; he’s their only real chance at making noise in EuroBasket 2025. With the way he’s playing heading into the tournament, that chance feels bigger than ever. His ability to explode for 50 points in a single night, his consistency as one of the tournament’s top scorers, and his leadership in pushing Finland into uncharted territory all set the stage for a special run.</p><p>While Finland may not have the depth of other contenders, basketball at the international level often comes down to star power. Markkanen has shown that <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/utah-jazz/jazz-rumors-lauri-markkanen-trade-interest-again-theres-catch">he can singlehandedly tilt games in Finland’s favor</a>, and EuroBasket 2025 could end up being his defining international moment.</p><p>For Finland fans, that’s more than enough reason to believe.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

3 Lauri Markkanen bold predictions for Finland’s EuroBasket 2025 run

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/utah-jazz/jazz-news-lauri-markkanen-goes-off-42-points-24-minutes-eurobasket-warmup');   ga('set', 'title', 'Jazz star Lauri Markkanen goes off for 42 points in 24 minutes in EuroBasket warmup');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Markkanen-on-the-bench.jpg"><figcaption>Rob Gray-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Jazz star Lauri Markkanen goes off for 42 points in 24 minutes in EuroBasket warmup</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-08-17T08:53:39-07:00">August 17th, 8:53am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-08-17T08:53:39-07:00">August 17th, 8:53am</time><address><a>Jackson Stone</a>Jackson Stone is a Mercer University senior from Atlanta on track to graduate with a BA in communications. A lifelong sports lover, Jackson is a die-hard fan of all Atlanta teams. He joined ClutchPoints in 2023.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>It’s been an <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/utah-jazz/jazz-news-john-stockton-calls-out-utah-tanking-strategy">interesting offseason for the Utah Jazz</a>, who used their first round pick this past June to <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/utah-jazz/utah-jazzs-biggest-ace-bailey-concern-after-2025-nba-summer-league">select Ace Bailey</a> out of Rutgers. There was speculation initially that Bailey might not be willing to suit up for Utah, but that has since died down and the Jazz hope they have added another piece to their emerging young core.</p><p>The best player on the Jazz remains small forward Lauri Markkanen, and recently, Markkanen has been participating for his native Finland in EuroBasket.</p><p>During Sunday’s game, Markkanen <a href="https://x.com/ClutchPoints/status/1957100076108579029" rel="noopener">went off again</a>, scoring 42 points to go along with 12 rebounds and 3 blocks on 10-17 shooting. Making matters more impressive was that the star was only on the floor for 24 minutes.</p><p>This game followed up contests of 31 points and 48 points for Markkanen so far during the EuroBasket exhibition contests.</p><p>It’s clear that Markkanen has been working extra hard on this game this offseason, which should be good news for Jazz fans who will want to see at least one polished NBA veteran on the court amid what figures to be a brutal rebuilding year.</p><h2><b>Tough times for the Utah Jazz</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Bill-Simmons-hints-at-Lauri-Markkanens-trade-availability-2.jpg"><figcaption>Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Many figured that Markkanen would have been traded by this point in his career, with several contending teams, including the Golden State Warriors, having been reported to hold interest in the small forward’s services.</p><p>However, Markkanen has remained a member of the Jazz through it all. The Jazz were among the league’s worst teams last year and lost even more talent this offseason, watching Jordan Clarkson bolt to the New York Knicks in free agency and trading John Collins to the Los Angeles Clippers.</p><p>However, the team did add Bailey and NCAA tournament standout Walter Clayton Jr. out of Florida in this year’s draft, which figures to give them an added boost in perimeter scoring, even if there may be some growing pains along the way.</p><p>Still, Markkanen figures to be the head of the snake and will likely be circulated through the rumor mill once again this year.</p><p>In any case, the Jazz’s 2025-26 season is slated to get underway on October 22 against the Los Angeles Clippers at home.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Jazz star Lauri Markkanen goes off for 42 points in 24 minutes in EuroBasket warmup

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/utah-jazz/jazz-rumors-utah-lauri-markkanen-trade-intentions-fire-sale');   ga('set', 'title', 'Jazz rumors: Utah’s Lauri Markkanen trade ‘intentions’ amid fire sale');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Jazz-Lauri-Markkanen-trade-intentions-fire-sale.jpg"><figcaption>© Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Jazz rumors: Utah’s Lauri Markkanen trade ‘intentions’ amid fire sale</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-15T09:49:22-07:00">July 15th, 9:49am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-15T09:49:22-07:00">July 15th, 9:49am</time><address><a>Preston Byers</a>Preston Byers is an experienced writer and journalist who currently serves as an associate editor for ClutchPoints and as a staff writer at The Vindicator and Tribune Chronicle, where he covers sports in the Mahoning Valley. Previously, Preston worked as an associate editor for Dot Esports and a site expert for FanSided's Union and Blue.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Utah Jazz management has said recently that they are looking to compete, but in a notoriously deep and tough Western Conference, it is unclear how realistic that goal is in the short term. That, as well as some offseason moves, is why some <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/players/9fc40870/lauri-markkanen">believe Lauri Markkanen</a> could be traded sooner rather than later.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/utah-jazz">With the Jazz</a>, Markkanen seemingly blossomed into a star; in his first season with the team, he blew away all expectations by averaging career-high 25.6 points per game while shooting nearly 50% from the field and 40% on 3-pointers. Over the past two seasons, Markkanen’s numbers have decreased, and so has Utah’s win total; after a 37-45 campaign in Markkanen’s first season, the Jazz won 31 games in 2023-24 and only 17 games this past season as part of the worst record in the NBA.</p><p>Shortly after his hiring, new Jazz president of basketball operations Austin Ainge, the son of Utah CEO Danny Ainge, indicated the team isn’t interested in tanking this year. But the team certainly hasn’t done enough to make fans believe they are much different from a year ago. Although they acquired Jusuf Nurkic from the Charlotte Hornets and selected Walter Clayton Jr. and Ace Bailey in the first round of the draft, they shipped out Collin Sexton, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/utah-jazz/jazz-news-jordan-clarkson-breaks-silence-utah-buyout">bought out Jordan Clarkson</a>, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/utah-jazz/jazz-trade-grade-john-collins-deal-clippers-heat">and traded John Collins for Kyle Anderson</a>, a future second-round draft pick, cash, a trade exception, and the small contract of Kevin Love, who is also expected to be bought out.</p><p>While these moves certainly seem logical for a team in Utah’s position, it does not inspire confidence in their ability to compete, even with Markkanen playing at his best. So could a trade involving the “Finnisher” happen? Maybe, but it is reportedly not likely.</p><p>According to ESPN, it “is not Utah’s intention” <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/utah-jazz/jazz-rumors-bill-simmons-hints-lauri-markkanen-trade-availability">to trade Markkanen</a>, in spite of their forward-looking moves this offseason.</p><p>“It would be too much to describe Markkanen as untouchable, but the Jazz still project the All-Star forward as a key player in their future core,” ESPN’s insiders wrote.</p><p>“Utah listened to offers for Markkanen last summer, but none of the talks with other teams ever came close to tempting CEO Danny Ainge and GM Justin Zanik to make a trade. The Jazz ultimately awarded <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/players/9fc40870/lauri-markkanen/contract">Markkanen a five-year, $238 million maximum renegotiation and extension</a>, allowing him to sign the deal last Aug. 7 and making him ineligible to be traded before last season’s deadline.”</p><p>The value of Markkanen, 28, was almost certainly at its peak in 2023 or 2024 — before he signed his new deal, the extension part of which begins this coming season. He will earn $46.4 million in Year 1 and $46.1 million, $49.8 million, and $53.5 million from 2026 to 2029, respectively. Although teams could theoretically trade for him despite the pricetag, the likelihood will certainly decrease once teams near the completion of their rosters this summer.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Jazz rumors: Utah’s Lauri Markkanen trade ‘intentions’ amid fire sale

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/utah-jazz/jazz-rumors-bill-simmons-hints-lauri-markkanen-trade-availability');   ga('set', 'title', 'Jazz rumors: Bill Simmons hints at Lauri Markkanen’s trade availability');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Bill-Simmons-hints-at-Lauri-Markkanens-trade-availability.jpg"><figcaption>Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Jazz rumors: Bill Simmons hints at Lauri Markkanen’s trade availability</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-09T16:49:18-07:00">June 9th, 4:49pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-09T16:49:18-07:00">June 9th, 4:49pm</time><address><a>Richard Pereira</a>Richard Pereira joined ClutchPoints in January 2025 as an Associate Editor. He earned his degree from Florida Atlantic University in 2023 and has been covering the school's athletic programs since 2020, having served as a Sports Editor at the FAU University Press. He was granted the unique opportunity to report on the men's basketball team's journey to the Final Four in Houston for FAU Owls Nest during March Madness, consistently striving to grow as a sports journalist.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Lauri Markkanen and the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/76ers-news-bill-simmons-brainstorms-paul-george-lauri-markkanen-trade">Utah Jazz find themselves in an interesting situation</a> this offseason. They are rebuilding through the draft, which had Bill Simmons comment on the star forward’s future with the franchise.</p><p>Markkanen became a star player for the Jazz in the 2022-23 season, earning an All-Star selection as a result. Even though Utah hasn’t returned to the postseason since his arrival, Markkanen provides their fans with high-level performances as a quality scorer and shooter.</p><p>His services would be beneficial for teams looking to compete for titles, which had Simmons give his thoughts on what’s going on with Markkanen and the Jazz. According to him on his podcast, he thinks <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-bill-simmons-podcast/id1043699613?l=en-GB&amp;i=1000712054902" rel="noopener">there is a chance he would be available</a> if the right offer appears.</p><p>“Around the league, people seem to feel like Markkanen isn’t not available…I’m on high alert with Utah. Austin took that job. He had a quote in the press conference that I thought kind of gave me one of those where he was just like, yeah, we’re not tanking anymore. He just said it matter of factly. It’s like, all right,” Simmons said.</p><p>“I would not be surprised if they get aggressive and said, okay, let’s start coming up with something here. Like, let’s figure out how to piece two for one. And if the one isn’t a star, at least it’s somebody who raises…But they’re like in that spike. Remember Orlando felt like they were always just the one pick behind in the lottery, forgetting the guy that happened a bunch of years there.”</p><h2><b>What lies ahead for Lauri Markkanen, Jazz</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Bill-Simmons-hints-at-Lauri-Markkanens-trade-availability-2.jpg"><figcaption>Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Since the All-Star selection, Lauri Markkanen hasn’t been able to return to those heights with the Jazz.</p><p>Markkanen has sustained injuries in the last two seasons, missing 62 games combined in that stretch. Meanwhile, Utah was unable to construct a roster that was able to withstand the better teams in the Western Conference. As a result, Utah has remained in the NBA lottery since 2023.</p><p>After three seasons with the Jazz, Markkanen is averaging 23 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. He is shooting 47.3% from the field, including 38% from beyond the arc, and 88.3% from the free-throw line.</p><p>The Jazz have solid players in Markkanen, Walker Kessler, Jordan Clarkson, and Colin Sexton among others. However, it is clear they will have to make moves through the draft and free agency to return to playoff contention. If they find a deal that involves moving on from Markkanen to be better in the long term, they might just do it.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Jazz rumors: Bill Simmons hints at Lauri Markkanen’s trade availability

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/philadelphia-76ers/76ers-news-bill-simmons-brainstorms-paul-george-lauri-markkanen-trade');   ga('set', 'title', 'Bill Simmons brainstorms Paul George for Lauri Markkanen 76ers-Jazz trade');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Bill-Simmons-brainstorms-Paul-George-Lauri-Markkanen-trade.jpg"><figcaption>© Rob Gray-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Bill Simmons brainstorms Paul George for Lauri Markkanen 76ers-Jazz trade</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-06T12:45:18-07:00">June 6th, 12:45pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-06T12:45:18-07:00">June 6th, 12:45pm</time><address><a>Preston Byers</a>Preston Byers is an experienced writer and journalist who currently serves as an associate editor for ClutchPoints and as a staff writer at The Vindicator and Tribune Chronicle, where he covers sports in the Mahoning Valley. Previously, Preston worked as an associate editor for Dot Esports and a site expert for FanSided's Union and Blue.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/philadelphia-76ers">The Philadelphia 76ers’</a> 2024-25 season was not one to remember, but it will be hard to forget for fans who had high hopes for the trio of Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey. And Bill Simmons is already thinking of trades to split up the threesome.</p><p>Once the 76ers signed George in the offseason, fans and analysts begged Philadelphia, like most years, as a contender to get out of the Eastern Conference and potentially compete for a championship. Unfortunately, nothing even resembling that happened, as Embiid and George both began the year injured, and it never got much better from there. All three of Embiid, George, and Maxey missed time due to injury — they missed a combined 134 games this season — and rarely shared the court.</p><p>As a result, the 76ers sunk to near to the bottom of the Eastern Conference and never recovered. Philadelphia finished the season 24-58, which was bad enough for fifth-worst in the NBA. The bright side is that the record, as well as some lottery luck, landed the Sixers the third overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, which<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/philadelphia-76ers/76ers-rumors-philly-draft-trade-strategy-reiterated-marc-stein"> could prove to be valuable in a trade.</a></p><p>That last part is especially intriguing to Simmons, whose infatuation with hypothetical trades is well-documented. And in this case, the popular NBA podcaster wondered <a href="https://youtu.be/tssP_fIV6mI?list=PLYHjB_Comy8RBysZtkqGfChKg1eUdYx4C&amp;t=3587" rel="noopener">aloud if a trade of</a> Paul George and No. 3 pick for<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/utah-jazz/jazz-rumors-lauri-markkanen-trade-interest-again-theres-catch"> Utah Jazz star Lauri Markkanen</a> would be mutually beneficial.</p><p>“I don’t even know if that makes sense for Philly, but I just wonder if Philly is looking at trades like that with the third pick,” Simmons said.</p><p>“I hate that trade for everyone involved,” Zach Lowe responded, before expanding how he might tweak it.</p><p>“Now, if you tell me I’m the Jazz and I can reroute Paul George somewhere else for something less damaging to my cap sheet for the next three years and I get the number three pick, then it starts to be somewhat interesting to me,” Lowe said. “But Markkanen is pretty good, and the Paul George contract is not so good, although I think it will get rehabbed this year. I think we’ll think differently of Paul George in about six months.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"></figure><p>The<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/utah-jazz/jazz-news-utah-hires-danny-ainge-celtics-lead-front-office"> Jazz’s recent hiring of Austin Ainge</a> as president of basketball operations, as well as Ainge’s comments, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/utah-jazz/jazz-news-new-utah-executive-shuts-down-tanking-narrative">signal the organization is shifting away from tanking</a> and into a more competitive direction. How George would fit in that, particularly due to his injury history and age, is anyone’s guess, but Utah could be an interesting player to watch this offseason regardless.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Bill Simmons brainstorms Paul George for Lauri Markkanen 76ers-Jazz trade

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/philadelphia-76ers/76ers-rumors-kevin-durant-lauri-markkanen-linked-paul-george-trade');   ga('set', 'title', '76ers rumors: Kevin Durant, Lauri Markkanen linked to Paul George trade packages');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Kevin-Durant_f10506.jpg"><figcaption>Bill Streicher-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>76ers rumors: Kevin Durant, Lauri Markkanen linked to Paul George trade packages</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-05-19T07:56:52-07:00">May 19th, 7:56am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-05-19T07:56:52-07:00">May 19th, 7:56am</time><address><a>Troy Finnegan</a>Troy Finnegan is a Senior Editor and College Sports Lead at ClutchPoints. He graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder in 2023 with a degree in journalism and minors in communications and sports media, as well as a critical sports studies certificate. He has had a passion for sports his entire life, and enjoys covering and writing about all sports.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Philadelphia 76ers were rewarded for one of the worst and unluckiest seasons imaginable with the No. 3 overall pick in the NBA Draft when the lottery concluded. While the ping pong balls weren’t quite kind enough to land Cooper Flagg, they did give Daryl Morey a top-tier asset to work with this offseason.</p><p>Philadelphia surely has no plans of going into a rebuild. With Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain returning from injury next season, this squad is likely just a move or two away from being a contender in the Eastern Conference when healthy. As a result, Morey and the rest of the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/76ers-news-daryl-morey-seems-end-speculation-plan-no-3-pick">76ers’ front office could look to move that pick</a> along with Paul George to upgrade the roster.</p><p>The 76ers will be looking at stars on the trade market, even though it’s unclear which ones may be available this offseason. However, Kevin Durant and Lauri Markkanen are two players that Philly <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/45179882/2025-nba-mock-draft-projecting-all-59-picks-post-combine-cooper-flagg-dallas-mavericks" rel="noopener">could be targeting</a>, according to Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo of ESPN.</p><p>“Some teams expect the Sixers to be active in trade conversations, with names such as Kevin Durant (Phoenix) and Lauri Markkanen (Utah) as potential targets in packages that could include Paul George and the No. 3 pick,” Givony and Woo wrote. “Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey has made a career of being active and aggressive on the trade front, but historically, it’s rare to see a top-three pick being traded.”</p><p>Any trade involving the third pick would be a big risk for the 76ers to take, as it would be a bet on a roster that has not been able to stay healthy in recent years. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/76ers-news-paul-george-drops-scrambling-admission-joel-embiids-unavailability">Embiid specifically has seen the injury concerns</a> ratchet up over the last couple of seasons, so mortgaging the future to support this current version of the team is a big gamble.</p><p>On the other hand, adding another star such as Durant or Markkanen to a roster that already includes Embiid and a pair of promising young guards could easily make the 76ers into a contender in an Eastern Conference that will be in flux during the 2025-26 season.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

76ers rumors: Kevin Durant, Lauri Markkanen linked to Paul George trade packages

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/utah-jazz/jazz-rumors-lauri-markkanen-trade-interest-again-theres-catch');   ga('set', 'title', 'Jazz rumors: Lauri Markkanen to draw trade interest again, but there’s a catch');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Lauri-Markkanen.jpg"><figcaption>Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Jazz rumors: Lauri Markkanen to draw trade interest again, but there’s a catch</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-05-13T14:24:54-07:00">May 13th, 2:24pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-05-13T14:24:54-07:00">May 13th, 2:24pm</time><address><a>Troy Finnegan</a>Troy Finnegan is a Senior Editor and College Sports Lead at ClutchPoints. He graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder in 2023 with a degree in journalism and minors in communications and sports media, as well as a critical sports studies certificate. He has had a passion for sports his entire life, and enjoys covering and writing about all sports.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/jazz-news-jazz-dreaming-of-cooper-flagg-after-locking-down-top-spot-in-2025-nba-draft-lottery">Utah Jazz were one of the worst teams</a> in the NBA this season as Will Hardy tried to get his young guys plenty of game experience down the back half of the season. The bet was that the Jazz would be picking high in the NBA Draft as a result of their struggles, but that isn’t necessarily the case.</p><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/jazz-news-dwayne-wade-sends-reminder-after-utah-heartbreaking-lottery-fall">ping pong balls were not kind to the Jazz</a> at all, and now Utah will be picking No. 5 overall despite having the worst record in the NBA in 2024-25 at 17-65. While that is still a good pick in a very good draft class, it is far from the haul that is Cooper Flagg or Dylan Harper at the very top.</p><p>Now, the Jazz enter another offseason wondering what to do with their roster, especially star forward Lauri Markkanen. The former Cleveland Cavaliers standout has been the subject of trade rumors for years now, but his value is lower now after a contract extension, some injuries and a down season overall.</p><p>Still, if the Jazz want to move completely toward their young core with whoever they add at No. 5 this summer, they <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/2025-nba-mock-draft-1-0-who-goes-no-2-after-mavericks-cooper-flagg">could still look to move off of Markkanen</a> and other teams will be interested, according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints</p><p>“Rival teams are expected to once again inquire about Lauri Markkanen, but his trade value has decreased significantly after signing an extension last summer,” Siegel wrote. “The massive haul Utah could have received for Markkanen last summer isn’t expected to be available this time around.”</p><p>While Markkanen’s production may not look like what it did a year or two ago, his skillset would still fit right in with what a contending team would want at the forward spot. The Arizona product is an elite shooter and has some shot creation chops off the bounce, which he has gotten a chance to refine over the last few years on a bad Jazz team.</p><p>Markkanen isn’t elite on defense, but he can slide his feet and has very good positional size, which should make him an asset for any team at the very least. Especially now that the price in a possible trade for him has gone down, expect a lot of very good teams to be calling Utah about its franchise player in the coming months.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Jazz rumors: Lauri Markkanen to draw trade interest again, but there’s a catch

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/utah-jazz/nba-rumors-lauri-markkanen-future-jazz');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Lauri Markkanen’s future with Jazz uncertain due to failed ‘understanding’');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/IMG_1363.jpeg"></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Lauri Markkanen’s future with Jazz uncertain due to failed ‘understanding’</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-14T14:23:01-07:00">March 14th, 2:23pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-14T14:45:21-07:00">March 14th, 2:45pm</time><address><a>David Yapkowitz</a>David Yapkowitz is an NBA Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He is a credentialed reporter based in Los Angeles who covers the NBA/WNBA, NCAA/NCAAW and boys/girls high school basketball.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>This past offseason, one of the names that seemingly drew some of the biggest <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-rumors-lauri-markkanen-trade-suitors-hit-with-harsh-jazz-reality">trade interest was Utah Jazz star Lauri Markkanen</a>. The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/jazz-news-lauri-markkanen-instant-reaction-238-million-contract-extension">Jazz and Markkanen were able to come to an agreement</a> on a contract extension, but even so, his future with the team may not be all that clear.</p><p>When Lauri Markkanen signed his contract extension with the Jazz, he seemingly affirmed his commitment to Utah’s future by waiting to sign until he wasn’t able to be traded during the 2024-25 season. But agreeing to the contract extension was reportedly <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/44236522/nba-intel-how-7-draft-lottery-teams-jumpstart-their-rebuilds" rel="noopener">with the understanding</a> that the Jazz were going to be a competitive team, as per Brian Windhorst of ESPN.</p><p>With the Jazz in line for another high lottery pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, their path toward relevancy isn’t as clear as it might have been before. Markkanen is trade eligible after the season ends.</p><p>It’s important to note that this is pretty much speculation and there aren’t any concrete signs that either Markkanen or the Jazz would shift towards a change. But even so, there’s bound to be no shortage of trade suitors as there was last offseason.</p><p>Markkanen is entering the prime of his career. He was an All-Star his first season with the Jazz in 2022-23, the same year he won the league’s Most Improved Player Award.</p><p>This year, he’s appeared in 44 games, at just about 32 minutes per game. He’s been averaging 19.2 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists with splits of 42.4 percent shooting from the field, 34.7 percent shooting from the three-point line and 87.2 percent shooting from the free-throw line.</p><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/utah-jazz/jazz-news-utah-fined-violating-player-participation-policy-lauri-markkanen">Jazz were recently fined by the NBA for failing to make Markkanen available</a> for their recent game against the Washington Wizards.</p><p>As it stands, the Jazz currently hold the worst record in the Western Conference standings at 15-58. The only team with a worse record than them is the Washington Wizards at 14-51. The Jazz are on a seven-game losing streak, the longest active streak in the league.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Lauri Markkanen’s future with Jazz uncertain due to failed ‘understanding’

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/utah-jazz/jazz-news-utah-fined-violating-player-participation-policy-lauri-markkanen');   ga('set', 'title', 'Jazz fined $100,000 for violating Player Participation Policy with Lauri Markkanen');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Jazz-news-Utah-fined-100000-for-violating-Player-Participation-Policy-with-Lauri-Markkanen.jpg"></figure><h1>Jazz fined $100,000 for violating Player Participation Policy with Lauri Markkanen</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-12T17:35:42-07:00">March 12th, 5:35pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-12T17:35:42-07:00">March 12th, 5:35pm</time><address><a>Troy Finnegan</a>Troy Finnegan is a Senior Editor and College Sports Lead at ClutchPoints. He graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder in 2023 with a degree in journalism and minors in communications and sports media, as well as a critical sports studies certificate. He has had a passion for sports his entire life, and enjoys covering and writing about all sports.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Utah Jazz most likely have one foot out the door this season and one eye on the NBA Draft Lottery, with hopes for a little <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/ncaa-basketball/duke-basketball-news-cooper-flagg-award-wins-will-surprise-nobody">luck with the ping pong balls to help them land Cooper Flagg</a>. However, Adam Silver is still making sure the Jazz are doing their best to compete.</p><p>On Wednesday, the Jazz were fined $100,000 for violating the league’s Player Participation Policy. The violation came regarding a series of absences by star forward Lauri Markkanen over the last few weeks. The league <a href="https://x.com/tomerazarly/status/1899938939093606648?s=46" rel="noopener">released a statement</a> on the incident, via Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints.</p><p>“The NBA announced today that the Utah Jazz organization has been fined $100,000 for violating the league’s Player Participation Policy,” the statement read. “The violation occurred when the Jazz failed to make Lauri Markkanen, a star player under the Policy, available for the team’s game against the Washington Wizards on March 5 at Capital One Arena, as well as other recent games. The Policy, which was adopted prior to the 2023-24 season, is intended to promote participation in the NBA’s regular season.”</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/jazz-news-lauri-markkanen-continues-to-be-nagged-back-injury">Markkanen has missed the last nine games for Utah</a> due to lower back injury management, but the NBA clearly isn’t buying it. The league clearly thinks that the Finnish star could have played in at least some of those games, specifically the contest against the Wizards last Wednesday.</p><p>Shortly after the fine was handed down, the Jazz announced that Markkanen will be available to play on Wednesday night against the Memphis Grizzlies, so the Jazz are not ready to hand over any more money to the league office.</p><p>Of course, having Markkanen on the court does no favors for Utah’s draft hopes. The Arizona product leads the team with 19.3 points per game to go with 6.1 rebounds a night.</p><p>Entering Wednesday’s tilt, the Jazz have the worst record in the Western Conference at 15-50. Only the Wizards have a worse number at 13-51 as the race to the bottom continues over the final month of the season.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

2024-25 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
19.0	5.9	1.5	0.4	0.7

2024-25 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
19.0	5.9	1.5	0.4	0.7

Lauri Markkanen news

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