The Memphis Grizzlies ended a three-game skid by routing the Utah Jazz 140-103, Tuesday night, capping off a 4-0 season series sweep.
Despite yet another sluggish start and trailing by as many as 14 points in the first half, the Grizzlies narrowed the deficit to 65-64 by halftime.
With a 41-17 third-quarter surge, Memphis took command of the game and improved to 44-28 for the season. The team now holds a slim half-game lead over the Lakers for the fourth seed in the Western Conference.
The Grizzlies recorded 38 assists, outscored Utah 27-8 in points off turnovers, and dominated the boards 52-28, including a 17-4 advantage on the offensive glass. Additionally, Memphis had a 25-0 edge in second-chance points and outscored Utah 76-38 in the second half.
After the game, Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins acknowledged Jazz’s strong start, noting that Memphis lacked physicality and resistance in the first quarter and early second quarter, allowing Utah to get easy shots. However, he expressed relief that the Grizzlies were able to “weather the storm.”
Jenkins added: “We were getting what we needed on the offensive side, even though we were missing a couple shots there. But we made a great run at the end of the second quarter, and then just our resistance and physicality on the defensive side in the third quarter was so much better.”
“That allowed us to get out — our fast break numbers were better,” Jenkins continued. “We ended up with 38 assists. We were just playing with a different level of energy, because our defense sparked us.”
Desmond Bane led Memphis in scoring with 21 points, adding six assists and four rebounds in 29 minutes of action.
Jaren Jackson Jr. contributed 19 points on 8-of-12 shooting, while also grabbing three rebounds and blocking two shots, before exiting with an injury in the third quarter. He rejoined the team on the bench in the fourth quarter.
In a notable defensive stretch, the Grizzlies held the Jazz to just a single field goal for over seven minutes following Jackson Jr.’s exit from the game.
Scotty Pippen Jr. delivered a strong all-around effort, tallying 16 points, 10 assists, and five rebounds. Rookie Jaylen Wells had a solid performance, scoring 10 points, grabbing six rebounds, and dishing out five assists.
The Grizzlies’ bench dominated their Jazz counterparts, outscoring them 65-39 while also controlling the glass with 29 rebounds and distributing 13 assists.
Zach Edey, Vince Williams Jr., and Jay Huff formed a potent bench trio, as all three players scored 15 points each.
The Grizzlies will conclude their five-game road trip on Thursday against the league-leading Oklahoma City Thunder, who boast an impressive 60-12 record. OKC currently holds a 3-0 advantage in the season series against Memphis.
