NBA: Jazz continue impressive start with win over Grizzlies
FILE – Lauri Markkanen #23 of the Utah Jazz reacts against the New Orleans Pelicans during a game at the Smoothie King Center on October 23, 2022 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images/AFP
Lauri Markkanen and Kelly Olynyk each scored 23 points and played clutch in the fourth quarter to help the Utah Jazz rally past the Memphis Grizzlies for a 124-123 win Saturday night in Salt Lake City.
Jordan Clarkson added 21 points and Collin Sexton had 19 in his first start for Utah to help the Jazz win a night after being blown out in Denver.
Desmond Bane led Memphis with 32 points — his third game in a row with more than 30 points. Dillon Brooks also had a big scoring night, finishing with 30 points, while Tyus Jones contributed 23 points and 10 assists.
Memphis, which shot a blistering 56.8 percent, played without Ja Morant due to a non-COVID illness.
The Jazz, who shot 51.7 percent, trailed by five, 118-113, with 2:41 remaining after Bane followed a 3-pointer with two free throws. Markkanen, who added nine rebounds and five assists, answered with a 3 and then Olynyk matched a Brooks turnaround shot with a layup, bringing the Jazz within two with 1:46 remaining.
a well-rounded night for the Finnisher 🇫🇮
23p | 9r | 5a | 1s | 1b#TakeNote | @zionsbank pic.twitter.com/52cx0GsyOY— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) October 30, 2022
Olynyk hit a 3-pointer after Sexton blocked a shot to give the Jazz their first lead since early in the fourth quarter. Malik Beasley, who had 12 points, added another triple for a 124-120 edge with 23.0 left.
Brooks hit a 3-pointer with 15 seconds left as Memphis pulled within one, 124-123. He then rebounded a Markkanen miss with 4.8 seconds left. However, Memphis wasn’t able to get a last shot up.
The Jazz played without four regulars, including Mike Conley (rest), Walker Kessler (illness), Simone Fontecchio and Rudy Gay (COVID-19 protocols).
🎃 6 guys in double figures and 19-made threes in this one 🎃#TakeNote | @getcoinzoom pic.twitter.com/XgQNanSNsV
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) October 30, 2022
An early six-point Jazz lead was wiped out after the Grizzlies scored a dozen straight en route to a 30-24 lead after the first quarter.
Utah ended the first half on a tear with an 8-0 run to go up by 10 points before Jones hit a buzzer-beater to make the score 62-54 in favor of the Jazz at the half.
The Jazz led 79-70 when the Grizzlies scored 15 straight points. Utah responded with a 7-0 spurt to reclaim the lead. The wild back-and-forth affair continued in the fourth, beginning with a Bane-led 8-0 surge to begin the quarter.
