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FILE–Jaren Jackson Jr. #13 of the Memphis Grizzlies. Ezra Shaw/Getty Images/AFP
In the final game for Utah and Memphis before the All-Star break, the Grizzlies emerged with a 117-111 home victory over the Jazz behind Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane.
Jackson finished with 26 points, nine rebounds, four blocks and a career-high five steals as the Grizzlies won for the third time in four games. Bane added 24 points and six rebounds, while Ja Morant had 20 points, nine assists and eight rebounds.
Memphis held a 113-110 lead with less than a minute to play before the Grizzlies’ Jordan Clarkson missed a jump shot. Morant was fouled by Talen Horton-Tucker and hit one of two free throws to put the Grizzlies up four with 49.1 seconds to go.
Horton-Tucker was fouled on the next possession but made just one of two free throws and Memphis maintained a 114-111 lead.
A bad pass by Horton-Tucker gave the Grizzlies the ball back with 13.1 seconds to play. Two free throws by Bane put the Grizzlies up 116-111 with 10 seconds to go. Ochai Agbaji missed a 3-pointer on Utah’s next possession, ending all hopes of a Jazz comeback.
⭐️ 901 ALL STARS ⭐️@JaMorant x @jarenjacksonjr pic.twitter.com/QrfkcuVyZK
— Memphis Grizzlies (@memgrizz) February 16, 2023
Utah’s Kelly Olynyk had his second double-double (10 points, 11 boards) in the first half, and he had 28 points, 14 rebounds and six assists. Clarkson added 20 points, nine rebounds and six assists, while Walker Kessler had 10 points and 14 rebounds.
Jazz All-Star Lauri Markkanen did not play because of a sore right knee. Agbaji started in his place and finished with 17 points. Horton-Tucker scored 15 points, seven rebounds and seven assists off the Utah bench.
Jazz guard Collin Sexton left the game in the first quarter with a hamstring injury and did not return. He went four scoreless minutes as Utah lost for the fifth time in seven games.
Brandon Clarke replaced Xavier Tillman in Memphis’ starting lineup and finished with eight points and 10 rebounds.
Dillon Brooks had 11 points for the Grizzlies, and Santi Aldama (10 points) and newly acquired Luke Kennard (nine points) were productive off the bench.
The Grizzlies led 38-24 after one quarter of play.
A 10-0 run to open the second quarter, sparked by 3-pointers from Jackson and John Konchar, put Memphis up 48-24. The Grizzlies took a 63-47 lead into the break behind 10 made 3-pointers and 26 points from turnovers. Jackson had 16 points in the first half, and Aldama added 10 points.
The Jazz cut the deficit to 74-60 with 6:47 left in the third quarter thanks to eight points from Olynyk. A floating jumper by Utah’s Juan Tuscano-Anderson at the buzzer pulled Utah within 88-80 after three.
Utah cut Memphis’ lead to 94-91 on a 3-pointer by Horton-Tucker with 8:45 to play in the game. Brooks sank a 3-pointer with 5:25 to go, putting Memphis up 105-96.
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