INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Isaiah Collier had a career-high 22 assists — the most in the NBA this season and the most by a Utah player since John Stockton in 1992 — and the Jazz beat the Indiana Pacers 131-122 on Tuesday night with just seven healthy players.
Lauri Markkanen scored 27 points for the Jazz, who were short-handed after trading Georges Niang, Kyle Anderson, Walter Clayton Jr. and Taylor Hendricks to Memphis earlier Tuesday for Jaren Jackson Jr., Jock Landale, John Konchar and Vince Williams Jr.
The last NBA player with 22 assists in a game was Denver’s Nikola Jokic last March 7. Collier, who played the entire game, also scored 17 points as all seven Utah players had 14 points or more. Brice Sensabaugh scored 20, Ace Bailey had 19 and Kyle Filipowski had 16 points and 16 rebounds.
Quenton Johnson scored 24 points on 9-of-10 shooting and Jarace Walker also had 24 for the Pacers, who held out four regular starters — All-Star Pascal Siakam, Bennedict Mathurin, Andrew Nembhard and T.J. McConnell — for rest or because of minor injuries. All four played a night earlier, when Indiana lost 118-114 to visiting Houston.
Little-used Kam Jones, a healthy scratch on Monday, made his first career start for the Pacers and had 12 points.
Keyonte George (ankle), Kevin Love (illness) and Walker Kessler (shoulder) sat out for the Jazz. Jusuf Nurkic was listed as available with an illness but did not play.
Stockton had 22 assists for Utah on Dec. 18, 1992 against Philadelphia. The Hall of Famer also had eight games with 23 or more, including a career-best 28 on Jan. 15, 1991 against San Antonio.
Up next
Jazz: At Atlanta on Thursday night.
Pacers: At Milwaukee on Friday night.
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