Utah’s Sensabaugh scores 21 points in 1st quarter, highest for a bench player in at least 29 years

CHICAGO (AP) — Utah Jazz forward Brice Sensabaugh scored 21 points off the bench in the first quarter Wednesday night in a 128-126 loss at Chicago, the most by an NBA reserve in the opening period in at least 29 years.

It’s the highest number since the statistic was first tracked in the 1996-97 season.

Until Sensabaugh’s outburst, Indiana’s Lance Stephenson had the high for first-quarter scoring with 20 points against Brooklyn on Jan. 5, 2022. He finished that game with 30 points.

The third-year player finished with a career-high 43 points over 34 mintues, making 15 of 22 shots and going 5 of 10 from 30-point range.

His previous career high was set Jan. 4 with 34 points at Miami. His second-best scoring game came the next day with 27 points at Orlando.

Sensabaugh scored 28 points in the first half against the Bulls, just two points shy of the Jazz record for a starter or reserve in the opening 24 minutes. Rodney Hood scored 30 points in the first half against the Los Angeles Lakers on March 28, 2016.

Karl Malone scored 37 points in the second half in a game against Golden State on April 7, 1998, for the team record for any half.

Sensabaugh made 8 of 9 shots in the first quarter, including all three 3-point shots. His scoring came in just 7:14 of playing time.

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