Isaiah Collier's Career-High 22 Assists Spark Jazz Victory Over Pacers

Isaiah Collier’s record-making night, the Los Angeles Lakers’ boost from Austin Reaves, and the New York Knicks’ seventh straight win shaped a busy NBA evening on 4 February 2026, as Utah, Los Angeles and New York each handled short-handed opponents yet faced different concerns, from heavy minutes and roster changes to injury worries and form slumps.

The Utah Jazz, using only seven available players after a major trade with Memphis, defeated the Indiana Pacers 131-122 as Collier delivered a career-best 22 assists, the highest total in the NBA this season and the most by any Utah player since John Stockton matched that mark against Philadelphia on 18 December 1992.

Collier played the entire game for Utah, adding 17 points while every Jazz player scored at least 14, with Lauri Markkanen leading on 27 points, Brice Sensabaugh contributing 20, Ace Bailey finishing with 19, and Kyle Filipowski producing 16 points and 16 rebounds in a balanced effort that helped cover for the trimmed rotation.

Utah’s depleted squad followed a trade earlier on 4 February 2026 that sent Georges Niang, Kyle Anderson, Walter Clayton Jr. and Taylor Hendricks to the Memphis Grizzlies, with the Jazz receiving Jaren Jackson Jr., Jock Landale, John Konchar and Vince Williams Jr., although the new arrivals did not feature in the victory over Indiana.

Collier’s 22-assist display was the first such performance in the league since Nikola Jokic reached the same number for the Denver Nuggets on 7 March 2025, while Stockton remains ahead in franchise history with eight games of 23 or more assists, including 28 against the San Antonio Spurs on 15 January 1991.

Indiana rotated heavily, resting or protecting four regular starters after the 118-114 home defeat to the Houston Rockets one night earlier, as All-Star Pascal Siakam, Bennedict Mathurin, Andrew Nembhard and T.J. McConnell all sat out due to minor issues or scheduled rest, leaving Quenton Johnson and Jarace Walker to share the scoring lead with 24 points each.

LeBron James scored 25 points and Luka Doncic added 24 as the Los Angeles Lakers overpowered the Brooklyn Nets 125-109, while Austin Reaves, returning from a strained left calf that had sidelined Reaves for 19 games, contributed 15 points in 21 minutes during Reaves’ first appearance since Christmas.

Reaves entered late in the first quarter with the Lakers already firmly ahead and joined a blistering offensive start, as Los Angeles opened by making 20 of its first 25 field-goal attempts, with Jake LaRavia chipping in 18 points to help the Lakers complete a 5-3 road trip before hosting the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday, after the trade deadline.

James had previously said that judging the Lakers’ ceiling without Reaves, who averaged 26.6 points before the calf injury, was difficult, yet the team looked strong against a struggling Brooklyn side that lost for the ninth time in 10 games, despite Michael Porter Jr. posting 21 points and 10 rebounds for the Nets.

NBA recap: New York Knicks extend winning streak

The New York Knicks stretched their winning streak to seven games by beating the Washington Wizards 132-101, with Karl-Anthony Towns delivering 19 points and 15 rebounds, Mikal Bridges scoring 23 points, and Jalen Brunson adding 21 as New York maintained control throughout and continued a long run of dominance in this matchup.

New York has now beaten Washington 11 times in a row, though the Knicks saw Josh Hart leave during the third quarter with an apparent injury after Hart, who had experienced ankle issues earlier in the season, walked carefully to the tunnel and did not return, leaving the team awaiting further updates on Hart’s condition.

For Washington, Will Riley scored 17 points and Bub Carrington added 14, yet the Wizards’ recent improvement, with three wins in five games, still includes heavy defeats, as both recent losses came by 31 points, first against the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday and then by the same margin versus the Knicks four days later.

The night’s NBA schedule highlighted contrasting situations, with Utah relying on a seven-player rotation after significant trade activity, the Lakers regaining a key scorer in Reaves before facing further roster decisions, and the Knicks balancing strong form with concern over Hart’s health as all three teams managed comfortable wins over weakened opponents.