Jordan Clarkson scored 20, Lauri Markkanen added 19 points and 11 rebounds, and the Utah Jazz dominated the first half in a 133-109 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night in Salt Lake City.
Clarkson and Markkanen each went 4-for-4 from 3-point range in the decisive first half, combining for 35 points on 12-of-15 shooting as Utah went into the break up 79-46. Jazz reserve Collin Sexton led all scorers for the game with 23 points and dished out six assists.
The 79 points, two shy of a franchise record, were the second-most points ever scored in a half in the Jazz’s 50-year history.
Desmond Bane led the Grizzlies with 21 points in Memphis’ fifth straight loss to open the season. The Grizzlies, who won 51 games a season ago, are without suspended star Ja Morant for the first 25 games because of a suspension.
Utah won for the first time in three games after hitting 54 percent from the field while holding Memphis to 36.5-percent shooting. The Jazz sank 22 of 43 3-pointers (51.2 percent) compared to a 14-for-54 outing (25.9 percent) for the Grizzlies from deep.
John Collins contributed 16 points and Kelly Olynyk totaled 14 points, eight rebounds and five assists for Utah.
Markkanen set the tone on the first possession, putting the Jazz up 4-0 after 17 seconds thanks to a technical free throw and a 3-pointer.
Memphis kept it close for a few minutes, but Utah scored eight straight to break a 9-9 tie after 3-pointers from Collins and Clarkson followed by a Keyonte George layup.
The Jazz finished the first quarter on a tear, scoring 14 consecutive points with 3-pointers by Markkanen (two), Sexton and Olynyk along with a floater from George to ta a 42-19 lead into the second quarter.
Utah used a 10-1 run to go up by 25 points, 57-32, midway through the second quarter. The Jazz then went on an 11-0 spurt for a 71-39 lead and took their biggest advantage of the season — 35 points — at 78-43 late in the first half.
The Grizzlies opened the second half on a 12-3 run but never got back into contention.
–Field Level Media