Grizzlies Survive Utah's Fourth-Quarter Push, Win 110-105

Memphis built a nine-point first-quarter lead, watched Utah claw all the way back, and still walked out of Salt Lake City with a 110-105 win. Keyonte George's 26-point effort wasn't enough to save the Jazz, who couldn't overcome a double-digit hole they spent the entire night trying to escape.

The Grizzlies came out swinging. Cedric Coward opened the scoring with a 24-foot step-back three — Cameron Boozer assisting — and Memphis never trailed in the first quarter's opening minutes. Coward added a 9-foot floater, GG Jackson threw down a driving dunk, and Cam Spencer hit a 25-foot running pullup to push the lead to 18-17 before Utah briefly retook the edge. Then Memphis went on a tear to close the quarter: a Quinten Post three, a Scotty Pippen Jr. three off a Ty Jerome feed, and two Pippen free throws sent the Grizzlies into the second up 30-21. Utah's response in the second quarter was Darryn Peterson — a 25-foot three to open the period — but Memphis kept answering. Jerami Grant hit a 22-foot three, Ty Jerome converted two free throws, and the lead ballooned to 41-25 before Utah could stabilize. The Jazz chipped away through the middle quarters, and the game tightened considerably by the fourth. With Utah's home win probability sitting at just 25%, Darryn Peterson hit a 25-foot three at the 5:03 mark of the fourth quarter — swinging the home win probability from 25% to 37%, a 12-point swing — and suddenly Salt Lake City had a pulse. Peterson finished with 14 points and 7 rebounds, and Ace Bailey added 17 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 blocks in what looks like a genuinely promising performance from the rookie. But George carrying 26 points, 6 assists, and 3 rebounds on his own wasn't enough when Memphis had the depth to absorb every Utah run. Coward posted 16 points and 11 rebounds, Jerome orchestrated with 15 points and 8 assists, and Jaylen Wells chipped in 14 points. Five Utah players were listed as DNPs by coach's decision — Kris Murray, Olivier-Maxence Prosper, Taylor Hendricks, Karim Lopez, and Blake Hinson — which appears to have thinned Utah's rotation at a moment when they needed every body available. Memphis, for their part, looks like a team that already knows how to win on the road. Two games in, the Grizzlies appear to be the real thing.