NBA

Memphis Grizzlies at Utah Jazz

· National Basketball Association
1-0, 1-0 Away
Final
126 - 124

0-1, 0-1 Home

Ja Morant has 22 points and 10 assists in return, leads Grizzlies to season-opening win over Jazz

Ja Morant goes behind-the-back for tough Grizzlies bucket

Morant appeared in just nine games last season after serving a 25-game league suspension before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury. Santi Aldama scored 27 points and Desmond Bane added 24 more for the Grizzlies.

Lauri Markkanen had 35 points and nine rebounds for Utah. Jordan Clarkson chipped in for 17 points and seven assists off the bench. Walker Kessler had 16 points and 14 rebounds.

The Jazz erased a double-digit deficit in the fourth quarter and tied it at 116 on Kessler’s tip-in with 2:48 left. Aldama scored back-to-back baskets to put the Grizzlies in front for good.

Takeaways Grizzlies: Memphis cooked the Jazz from the perimeter for the bulk of four quarters. Aldama, Bane, and Jay Huff combined for 12 of the Grizzlies' 17 3-poiners.

Jazz: Sloppiness on offense undermined Utah’s efforts to rally until the fourth quarter. The Jazz committed 16 turnovers, leading to 22 points for Memphis, in the first three quarters.

Key moment After trailing by as many as 17 points in the first half, Utah took a 105-104 lead with 6:45 left after a 17-3 run. Taylor Hendricks and Markkanen combined for two baskets and four free throws in the run to set up a tight finish.

Key stat Huff had 13 points on 4-of-6 shooting, marking just the fourth time in his NBA career – and the first time in two seasons – that he's scored in the double digits.

Up next The Grizzlies visit Houston on Friday, and the Jazz host Golden State on the same night.

Regular Season Series

MEM leads series 1-0

Matchup Prediction

Jazz: 48.1%
Grizzlies: 51.9%
*According to ESPN's Basketball Power Index

Recent Plays

4th 0.0 End of Game 126 - 124
4th 0.0 End of the 4th Quarter 126 - 124
4th 4.1 Lauri Markkanen makes 27-foot three point jumper (Keyonte George assists) 126 - 124
4th 6.0 Collin Sexton enters the game for Walker Kessler 126 - 121
4th 6.0 Jazz Full timeout 126 - 121

Statistics

https://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/nba/500/mem.png&h=100&scale=crop&w=100&location=originMEM https://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/nba/500/utah.png&h=100&scale=crop&w=100&location=originUTAH
43-91 FG 40-85
47.3 Field Goal % 47.1
17-45 3PT 10-26
37.8 Three Point % 38.5
23-32 FT 34-45
71.9 Free Throw % 75.6
41 Rebounds 49
13 Offensive Rebounds 14
28 Defensive Rebounds 35
28 Assists 21
7 Steals 7
5 Blocks 9
12 Turnovers 14
1 Team Turnovers 3
13 Total Turnovers 17
1 Technical Fouls 0
1 Total Technical Fouls 0
0 Flagrant Fouls 0
13 Points Conceded Off Turnovers 24
16 Fast Break Points 11
46 Points in Paint 56
35 Fouls 24
17 Largest Lead 5

Game Information

Delta Center

Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Attendance: 18,175 · Capacity:

2024-25 Southwest Standings

TEAM W L PCT GB STRK
Dallas 2 1 .667 - W1
New Orleans 2 1 .667 - L1
Houston 2 2 .500 0.5 W1
Memphis 2 2 .500 0.5 L1
San Antonio 1 2 .333 1 L1

2024-25 Northwest Standings

TEAM W L PCT GB STRK
Oklahoma City 3 0 1.000 - W3
Minnesota 2 1 .667 1 W2
Denver 1 2 .333 2 W1
Portland 1 3 .250 2.5 L1
Utah 0 3 .000 3 L3
Full Standings

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