NBA: Jazz seal top-6 playoff berth with OT win over Grizzlies
Apr 5, 2022; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) looks to pass against Memphis Grizzlies center Steven Adams (4) in the first quarter at Vivint Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Swinger-USA TODAY Sports
Rudy Gobert scored five of his 22 points late in overtime and hauled in 21 rebounds to help the Utah Jazz escape with a 121-115 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday night in Salt Lake City.
The Jazz’s win combined with the Minnesota Timberwolves’ 132-114 loss to the Washington Wizards allowed Utah to clinch no worse than the sixth seed in the Western Conference playoffs. Utah (47-32) currently holds a half-game lead for the No. 5 spot over the Denver Nuggets (47-33).
Jordan Clarkson also scored 22, Donovan Mitchell chipped in 20 despite a 6-for-24 shooting night and Hassan Whiteside contributed 14 points and 10 rebounds as the Jazz won for just the second time in the past eight games.
📹| @sportsiren with @rudygobert27: "It was an absolute masterpiece from you tonight."#TakeNote | @lhmauto pic.twitter.com/yxIvpe5PhC
— x – Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) April 6, 2022
Jaren Jackson Jr. led Memphis (55-24) with 28 points. He hit three 3-pointers in the final 2 1/2 minutes of regulation, but the Grizzlies saw their seven-game winning streak end. Tyus Jones scored 24 points and Desmond Bane added 23 for Memphis, which is locked into the No. 2 spot out West.
Both teams had double-digit leads at various points. The Jazz, who have struggled to close out teams after taking big leads, coughed up a nine-point advantage they held midway through the fourth quarter to require overtime redemption.
The Jazz jumped out to a 13-3 edge and were ahead 30-19 when the Grizzlies began chipping away at the deficit. Memphis used its own 13-3 surge to tighten things up. The teams went into halftime tied at 50-50.
📹| @jordanclarksons with a classic performance off the bench ☮️#TakeNote | @ZionsBank pic.twitter.com/QFpKbL8KM1
— x – Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) April 6, 2022
Bane scored 12 quick points in the third quarter during a 18-7 run that helped the Grizzlies take an 11-point lead.
Utah stormed back to reclaim the lead at 82-78, and the score was tied again 83-83 at the end of the quarter.
Danuel House Jr. helped the Jazz seize control by opening the fourth with a four-point play and an alley-top dunk as part of an 8-0 run for a 91-83 lead.
The Grizzlies weren’t done, though. Jackson’s late trio of 3-pointers included a step-back shot that brought Memphis within 109-108 with 33 seconds remaining.
Jones missed a layup and Mitchell made 1 of 2 free throws, giving the Grizzlies the ball with 5.6 seconds to go. After a missed 3-point attempt by Bane, Anderson forced overtime by grabbing the rebound and hitting a buzzer-beater.
