Grizzlies take season series against Jazz

Mike Conley scored 28 points and dished out 11 assists, and Jonas Valanciunas added 27 points as the host Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Utah Jazz 114-104 on Friday night. Reserves Ivan Rabb and Delon Wright chipped in 15 and 11 points, respectively, for the Grizzlies.

Memphis, which beat Utah for the third time in four meetings this season, shot 51.1 percent from the field and outscoring the Jazz 60-34 in the paint. Donovan Mitchell poured in 38 points while shooting 12 of 24 from the field to lead Utah. Joe Ingles added 14 points, seven assists and six rebounds for the Jazz, and Jae Crowder had 11 points and 11 rebounds.

Rabb and Wright combined to give Memphis a major offensive spark off the bench in the first half. The duo teamed up for 22 points before halftime, allowing the Grizzlies to stay a step ahead of Utah. Memphis went up 35-26 in the second quarter after back-to-back baskets from Wright punctuated an 11-3 run. Utah made it a one-possession game late in the quarter, cutting the Grizzlies' lead to 56-53 after back-to-back baskets from Kyle Korver and Ingles.

The Jazz could not overtake Memphis before halftime. Starting with a short jumper form Dorsey, the Grizzlies scored 13 unanswered points over a four-minute stretch spanning the second and third quarters. Conley and Valanciunas each made a pair of baskets, and Valanciunas capped the surge with a pair of free throws to give Memphis a 69-53 lead. Utah rallied and trimmed the deficit to 81-77 late in the third quarter behind several big baskets from Mitchell and Royce O'Neale. The Jazz clawed within four again in the fourth quarter, cutting the Memphis lead to 95-91 behind a floater and a pair of free throws from Mitchell.

That was as close as Utah would get. Valanciunas made back-to-back shots, and Wright tipped in a basket to put the Grizzlies up 101-91 with 5:15 remaining. --Field Level Media

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