2025-26 Season
LAURI MARKKANEN
2025-26 Season
LAURI MARKKANEN
Markkanen produces at an elite rate for a 34-minute workload.
About this model: Net Impact can't measure floor spacing, help defense rotations, or playmaking gravity — so wings and guards are slightly undervalued vs bigs. How Net Impact works
TEAM COMPARISON
of 18 teammates (10+ games, 10+ min)
SKILL DNA
Percentile rank vs 227 Forwards with 10+ games
THE SEASON SO FAR
A wildly volatile but undeniable scoring binge defined the opening chapter of Lauri Markkanen's season, revealing a player whose nightly value lived and died by the jumper. When his stroke was pure, he was a terrifying offensive force, peaking on 10/27 vs PHX with a 51-point, 14-rebound explosion that generated a massive +21.4 impact score by breaking the defense with an overwhelming workload. Yet, his absolute green light occasionally became a glaring detriment, perfectly illustrated on 11/28 vs SAC. Despite tallying 28 points in that contest, his stubborn insistence on settling for contested looks resulted in an ugly 2-for-13 mark from beyond the arc, dragging his impact down to a -1.2 as the sheer inefficiency neutralized his raw scoring volume. He did occasionally find ways to contribute when the perimeter well ran dry. On 11/07 vs MIN, Markkanen managed a meager 12 points on abysmal 4-of-14 shooting, but an unexpectedly dominant defensive effort salvaged the night and secured a +2.3 impact. He remains an elite offensive engine. However, his true value hinges entirely on whether he leverages his gravity to create or stubbornly settles for heavily contested threes.
A wild tug-of-war between erratic shot selection and brilliant off-ball utility defined this volatile stretch of Markkanen's season. High scoring totals frequently masked underlying issues, perfectly illustrated on 12/22 vs DEN. Despite pouring in 27 points, a brutal 2-for-9 night from beyond the arc and a sluggish defensive showing (-5.0 def) dragged his overall impact down to an abysmal -8.7. Conversely, he could quietly tilt the floor without dominating the box score. During a modest 18-point outing on 02/05 vs ATL, Markkanen still posted a +7.2 impact because his lethal off-ball movement constantly forced the defense into rotation. When everything clicked simultaneously, like on 12/27 vs SAS, he was an absolute terror. He torched San Antonio for 29 points on blistering 11-of-16 shooting, generating a massive +15.1 impact through pristine efficiency and stellar defensive positioning.
IMPACT TIMELINE
Game-by-game performance vs average. Green = above average, red = below.
Very consistent. Markkanen posts positive impact in 79% of games — you almost always get a productive night. Scoring varies by ~8 points, but the overall contribution stays positive.
Middle-of-the-road efficiency — shoots 45%+ from the field in 55% of games. Not automatic, but not a problem either.
Defensive difference-maker. Markkanen consistently forces tough shots and protects the rim — opponents shoot worse when he's guarding them.
Small downward trend. First-half impact: +7.2, second-half: +5.3. Not alarming yet, but trending the wrong direction.
Hot right now — 8 straight games with positive impact. Longest positive run this season: 8 games.
MATCHUP HISTORY
Based on 43 games with tracking data. Shows who guarded this player on offense and who he guarded on defense, with their shooting stats in those matchups.
ON OFFENSE: WHO GUARDED HIM
His shooting stats against each primary defender this season
ON DEFENSE: WHO HE GUARDED
How opponents shot when he was the primary defender. Lower FG% = better defense.
SEASON STATS
GAME LOG
42 games played