Utah Jazz star Lauri Markkanen hit an early roadblock in his latest run with Finland.
Markkanen finished with 11 points, three rebounds and one assist in 31 minutes, 45 seconds as Finland fell 86-81 to Sweden on August 27 in the second round of qualifying for the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup.
Miami Heat guard Pelle Larsson helped make it a difficult night for Markkanen and Finland. Larsson erupted for a game-high 31 points in 31:32, adding five rebounds as Sweden opened the second round with an important victory.
The result matters for Finland beyond one quiet night from its biggest star. The top three teams in the six-team second-round group qualify for the 2027 World Cup, making each game increasingly important as the field narrows.
Pelle Larsson Outshines Lauri Markkanen in Sweden Win
Larsson supplied nearly all the star power Sweden needed offensively.
The Heat guard scored 31 of Sweden’s 86 points. Simon Birgander added 17 points and 10 rebounds, while Ludde Hakanson scored 14 points off the bench and handed out seven assists.
Larsson’s performance was particularly notable considering what he accomplished during the 2025-26 NBA season.
Miami exercised its team option on Larsson in June after he averaged 11.4 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists across 70 games, including 54 starts. The Heat also noted that Larsson established an NBA career high with 28 points on March 12.
His 31-point effort against Finland surpassed that scoring total, albeit in international competition rather than an NBA game.
For Markkanen, the contrast was stark.
Finland’s starting five combined for 43 points, with Markkanen scoring 11. Olivier Nkamhoua led Finland with 19 points off the bench, while Miro Little added 12 points and Edon Maxhuni scored 10.
Markkanen played more minutes than any Finland player but could not produce the type of scoring performance his national team has routinely received from him.
That was a significant change from the last time Finland and Sweden met in a major international game.
Markkanen scored 28 points when Finland defeated Sweden 93-90 at EuroBasket on August 27, 2025. FIBA called Markkanen the driving force in the victory after he led all scorers.
One year later to the day, Sweden flipped the result — and Larsson was the player delivering the huge scoring night.
Markkanen Had Been Producing for Finland Before Sweden Loss
The 11-point performance also broke from Markkanen’s recent international form.
Markkanen scored 17 points with six rebounds, three assists and three steals as Finland defeated Iceland 93-78 in an August 21 exhibition. He also scored 23 points on 7-of-14 shooting in Finland’s 85-77 victory over Hungary during the July qualifying window.
That makes the Sweden result more notable than an ordinary off night.
Finland leans heavily on the 7-foot Jazz forward to create scoring advantages, stretch defenses and carry a large offensive workload. When Sweden limited that production, Finland needed significant contributions elsewhere just to remain within striking distance.
The defeat nevertheless should be viewed in the context of a qualifying campaign rather than as a referendum on Markkanen’s summer.
FIBA’s second qualifying round runs from August 27 through the ensuing windows, with Finland competing in Group L for one of three available World Cup places. FIBA confirmed Markkanen and Larsson on their respective national-team rosters before the August 27 games.
Markkanen’s Finland Run Has Direct Jazz Connection
Markkanen’s international schedule also has an unusually direct connection to the Jazz this summer.
Jazz head coach Will Hardy traveled to Finland along with Keyonte George and Jaren Jackson Jr. before the qualifying window, and the group attended Finland’s exhibition victory over Iceland.
Hardy publicly supported Markkanen’s decision to represent his country, emphasizing the limited opportunities players receive to compete for their national teams.
That gives Utah another reason to monitor these games closely.
Markkanen is getting meaningful high-level competition before returning to a Jazz roster that will again rely heavily on his size, shooting and scoring. A difficult night against Sweden does not change that, but it does give him a quick test after several productive performances for Finland.
And on August 27, another NBA player stole the spotlight.
Larsson’s 31-point performance powered Sweden to the victory while Markkanen and Finland were left looking for a response in their next World Cup qualifier.
Utah Jazz Star Lauri Markkanen Suffers Setback With Finland