Maybe the Memphis Grizzlies had too much rest. At least that’s how the game looked in the early going.
The Grizzlies’ defense struggled against the Utah Jazz in the first quarter and was yielding similar results of the past three games. Those struggles continued until about midway through the second quarter.
Memphis then flipped a switch, increased its defensive intensity and forced Utah to miss more shots. That effort was combined with an offense that came out surging in the second half.
The Grizzlies pulled away in the second half and cruised comfortably to a 140-103 win on Tuesday night at the Delta Center.
Memphis (44-28) snapped a three-game losing streak and continued its winning ways against the Jazz (16-57). The Grizzlies have won five straight games against Utah and all four meetings this season.
After trailing by one point at halftime, Memphis blitzed Utah in the third quarter, winning the frame 41-17.
Desmond Bane led the Grizzlies with 21 points. Jaren Jackson Jr. added 19 of his own before leaving the game in the third quarter after an elbow to the face.
Scotty Pippen Jr. filled in for the injured Ja Morant and controlled the game. with his 16 points and 10 assists
The struggling Grizzlies needed a win. They’re now back up to the fourth spot in the Western Conference standings with 10 games to play.
Memphis will be back in action against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday ( 7 p.m., FanDuel Sports Network). Matchups against the No. 1 seed in the west haven’t been fun for the Grizzlies. They’re 0-3 against the Thunder this season.
Jaren Jackson Jr. Suffers Injury Scare in Grizzlies-Jazz
The Memphis Grizzlies are in a very interesting situation, with the playoffs nearing soon. While the team has some of the best depth in the NBA, a recent stretch of injuries has fans concerned about whether they can contend in the Western Conference. With Brandon Clarke out for the season and Ja Morant missing the last five games, it could be getting worse.
On Tuesday night, the Grizzlies traveled to face the Utah Jazz in a contest that didn’t seem like it would draw any headlines. As the Jazz are preparing to cross their for the 2025 NBA Draft lottery, Grizzlies fans are crossing theirs after news broke on one of their star players.
Jaren Jackson Jr. suffered an injury to the face and is in the Grizzlies locker room against the Jazz. While the game was pretty much decided in Memphis’ favor after the third quarter, it’s still a concerning sign for Grizzlies fans to have another player dealing with an injury. It is good to know it’s simply a facial injury and that Jackson returned to Memphis’ bench at the end of the game.
Assuming he doesn’t return, Jackson finishes Tuesday night’s contest with 19 points, three rebounds and two blocks. Currently having the best season of his career, Jackson entered Tuesday’s contest averaging 22.4 points per game.
Looking ahead for Memphis, they’ll travel to Oklahoma City next for a Thursday night contest against the Thunder. The tip-off for that game is set for 8:00 p.m. EST.
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