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Sarah Todd
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Utah Jazz guard Mike Conley (10) brings the ball up court in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Memphis Grizzlies Wednesday, March 31, 2021, in Memphis, Tenn. | Brandon Dill, Associated Press
The Utah Jazz, without Donovan Mitchell, who was not with the team on Wednesday (personal reasons), beat the Memphis Grizzlies, 111-107, at FedExForum in a game that was close throughout.
The Utah Jazz, without Donovan Mitchell, who was not with the team on Wednesday (personal reasons), beat the Memphis Grizzlies, 111-107, at FedExForum in a game that was close throughout.
High Notes
- Bojan Bogdanovic hit just two 3s total through the first two meetings with Memphis and had already racked up three 3-pointers by the end of the first quarter on Wednesday. He was all smiles in the third when he hit his fourth trey and then he was responsible for a huge, timely 3 in the fourth. He finished with 23 the most he’s scored since March 1.
- Miye Oni got some extra time with Mitchell out of the lineup and every time that he gets a little more run he impresses. He is smart on the defensive end, more athletic than he looks like he might be and works really hard to get back and make hustle plays.
- Rudy Gobert had a dunk in the third quarter over Jonas Valanciunas that was disrespectful in all the best ways. Also, Gobert’s leg swung all the way up to Valanciunas’ head in an incredible display of flexibility.
- Through most of the game the Jazz’s transition defense was pretty impressive and in particular the lineup of Gobert, Oni, Jordan Clarkson, Mike Conley, and Georges Niang did a really good job of getting back and rotating to force the Grizzlies into halfcourt sets, many times either contesting a Memphis shot which didn’t go in or stealing the ball for their own transition play.
- Though Jordan Clarkson’s shooting numbers are still down he is not afraid to let the ball fly and that is respectable even if not always advisable. He went 4-of-15 from 3-point range, which isn’t great, but he finished with 23 points, also had a timely fourth-quarter three and really played commendable defense, adding seven rebounds and a steal to his statline.
- Former Memphis man Mike Conley came up big, pacing the Jazz with 26 points and never letting the game get out of reach.
Low Notes
- The Grizzlies rely so much on inefficient twos as a part of their offense, it doesn’t seem like that’s a sustainable way to play.
- Though Joe Ingles finished with 10 points, with Mitchell out it you’d like to see him a little more aggressive.
- The Jazz have sort of made a reputation as a team that surges in the third quarter, and it’s often Mitchell who is adding some firepower in the third, but on Wednesday they missed a lot of shots as Ja Morant scored 13 of his 36 points in the third and forced the Jazz into a tight fourth quarter battle.
Flat Notes
- Mitchell’s playmaking and the attention he demands from the defense was definitely missed on Wednesday. It was good to see the Jazz able to pull out the win without their leading scorer, but they’d need a lot more from the other players on the floor against a team better than the Grizzlies if Mitchell wasn’t able to play.
- So many missed fast break layups by the Grizzlies. Honestly one of the biggest reasons they lost the game. Those will not be fun to watch on film tomorrow.
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