What to Watch For: Utah Jazz vs Memphis Grizzlies
Bojan Bogdanovic (44) looks to make a play against the Memphis Grizzlies
The Utah Jazz were dominant on Wednesday, dismantling an injury ridden Brooklyn Nets team 118-88. Utah will now take on the Memphis Grizzlies in three of their next four games, beginning on Friday night.
Jazz vs Grizzlies Throwback:
The Utah Jazz and Memphis Grizzlies have faced off a total of 92 times throughout history. The Jazz lead the all time head-to-head between these two squads 59-33, and are currently on a three-game winning streak against Memphis.
These two teams matched up four times last season, with the Jazz going 3-1 in those four matchups. Last time out, the Jazz beat the Grizzlies 124-115 and had three players score 20-points or more. Joe Ingles led the way with 25-points, while Mike Conley and Rudy Gobert added 23 and 21-points respectively in the Jazz win.
Key Players:
Donovan Mitchell and Ja Morant are two of the most exciting young stars in the NBA today. These two will face off three times in the next week, and should provide fireworks for both teams.
Donovan Mitchell (45) and Ja Morant (12) go toe-to-toe during last years matchup in the "NBA Bubble"
Mitchell leads the Jazz in points (25.4) and assists (5.5), and is second on the team in steals (1) per game. During the Jazz last game against the Nets, Mitchell led the team with 27-points and 7-assists.
Morant leads the Grizzlies in points (19.1) and assists (7.5) per game. During Memphis' last game, Morant led the Grizzlies in assists (7) and added 11-points to his performance.
Fun Facts:
The Jazz will be in their association uniforms on Friday night, before donning their statement uniforms during Saturday's matchup with the Grizzlies. The Jazz are 12-6 in their home-white's with their last win in the jersey's coming over the Chicago Bulls on Monday. Saturday's yellow uniform feature has been a good one so far for the Jazz this season. They are 6-0 so far in the alternate-yellow's, with their last win in the jersey coming over the Orlando Magic on February 27.
Joe Ingles is still shooting the lights out from three point range, knocking down 19 out of 28 shots from beyond the arc (49.1%) in the last four games. His recent successes have been huge for the Jazz, leading them to a 3-1 record during the last four games.
The Utah Jazz acquired former Toronto Raptor Matt Thomas for a future second round pick during Thursday's trade deadline. Thomas is known for his knock-down three-point shooting and his ability to spread the floor.
Assistant Coach Alex Jensen has decided to remain with the Utah Jazz after interviewing for a head coaching position with the University of Utah. Jensen has been on staff since 2013 and has helped the Jazz rise to hold the best record in the NBA in his eight seasons with the team.
The Utah Jazz obliterated a depleted Brooklyn Nets squad on Wednesday night, getting a 30-point win and moving to a 32-11 record. The Jazz lead the Phoenix Suns by three games and the Los Angeles Clippers by three and a half games in the Western Conference. They also lead the Philadelphia 76ers by one game and the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks by three games in the Eastern Conference.
The Memphis Grizzlies are 21-20 this season, and are 4-1 in their last five games. Their wins during that span have come over the Oklahoma City Thunder, Boston Celtics, Golden State Warriors, and Miami Heat. Their lone loss came against the Golden State Warriors. The Grizzlies are currently in ninth place in the Western Conference, and twelfth place in the NBA.
The newest Jazzman on the roster, Matt Thomas, is the only player listed on Utah's injury report. He is 'day-to-day' with an undisclosed injury. Jaren Jackson (knee) is the only player listed on Memphis' injury report. He is 'out' for tonight's game against the Jazz.
How to Consume:
The Utah Jazz will face the Memphis Grizzlies at Vivint Smart Home Arena on Friday and Saturday night. Both games will tip-off at 7pm MST, and Jazz fans can watch both games on AT&T SportsNet. They can also tune into the games on 97.5FM or 1280AM.
Mike Conley (10) dribbles the basketball against the Memphis Grizzlies
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