NBA: Jazz beat Grizzlies for second time in three days
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 compiled a season-high 31 points, 12 rebounds and four blocked shots to lead the Utah Jazz to a 121-105 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night in Salt Lake City.
This was Utah’s second win over Memphis at home in three days. The Jazz, who led by as many as 25 points, earned an exciting 124-123 victory over the Grizzlies on Saturday.
Malik Beasley added 18 points, while former Grizzlies guard Mike Conley and Collin Sexton each scored 15 as Utah won for the sixth time in eight games this season.
Lauri with his fourth double-double in 8 games 🇫🇮#TakeNote | @zionsbank pic.twitter.com/ovYkyvldTq
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) November 1, 2022
The Grizzlies welcomed back Ja Morant after he missed Saturday’s game with an illness, but they played short-handed again as Desmond Bane was sidelined with an ankle injury. Morant finished with a game-high 37 points on 12-of-18 shooting.
Memphis certainly missed the hot hand of Banes, who had compiled three straight games with at least 30 points.
Conley hit five 3-pointers and Markkanen (11-16 shooting) and Beasley each hit four as the Jazz finished shooting 19-for-47 (40.4 percent) from beyond the arc. The Grizzlies only hit 6 of 26 from outside.
Markkanen scored 13 points with three 3-pointers in the first half as the Jazz cruised to a 61-44 lead.
Memphis led 26-23 after the first quarter, scoring the first four points and then responding after falling behind by six.
Utah made its big move early in the second when Kelly Olynyk ignited a 9-0 run and a 24-5 surge with a finger-roll layup. Markkanen had three 3-pointers during that spurt.
The Jazz were ahead 67-49 after Conley drained a 3-pointer early in the second half. Memphis pulled back within 10 points by scoring eight straight, but the Jazz dominated the rest of the way in the third to take a 97-74 lead into the final quarter.
Jordan Clarkson gave Utah its biggest lead, 99-74, with a layup at the 10:37 mark of the fourth quarter.
