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Memphis Grizzlies beat Utah Jazz 123-103: Ty Jerome scores a career-high 45, the most by a Grizzly in a season opener
Ty Jerome scored a career-high 45 points on 17-of-25 shooting, the most by a Grizzlies player in a season opener, as Memphis beat Utah 123-103. Keyonte George led the Jazz with 22.
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Ty Jerome scored a career-high 45 points, the most ever by a Grizzlies player in a season opener, as Memphis beat the Utah Jazz 123-103 at FedExForum on Wednesday, October 21. Jerome made 17 of his 25 shots, and the Grizzlies pulled away with an 18-4 run to open the second half in front of 17,276 fans.
Jerome also went 5-of-10 from three and 6-of-7 at the line, with 7 rebounds and 6 assists in 32 minutes. He scored 13 points in the first quarter and 16 in the fourth, 12 of them in the opening five minutes of the period, capped by a 33-foot three that made it 112-90.
Video: NBA / X.
How it turned
Utah came out firing. Keyonte George hit back-to-back threes, No. 2 pick Darryn Peterson scored five early points, and the Jazz led 31-22 late in the first quarter. Memphis answered with a 22-5 run. Quinten Post finished an alley-oop from Jerome, Jerome made three free throws with 0.6 seconds left in the quarter, and after his layup tied it early in the second, Cameron Boozer’s free throws put the Grizzlies ahead for good. Memphis led 64-51 at halftime.
Jerome opened the third with a pull-up three, and the Grizzlies scored 18 of the first 22 points of the half, with Boozer finishing a running dunk and Scotty Pippen Jr. making two free throws to make it 82-55 with 6:14 left in the quarter. That 27-point margin was the biggest of the night, and Memphis led 98-79 after three.
Utah’s starters cut it to 103-86 early in the fourth, with George and Jaren Jackson Jr. hitting threes, but Jerome scored on a finger roll, a short jumper and his long three, and the Jazz never got closer than 16 the rest of the way.
The numbers
Memphis won the rebounding battle 55-38, scored 58 points in the paint to Utah’s 46 and had 23 fast-break points to 9. Jerami Grant scored 15 in his first game for Memphis, Jaylen Wells had 12 points and 4 steals, and GG Jackson added 12 off the bench. Boozer, the No. 3 pick, grabbed 11 rebounds with 5 assists and was plus-32, but he shot 2-of-15 and missed all six of his threes. Zach Edey had 9 rebounds in 21 minutes.
Utah’s side
George led the Jazz with 22 points on 7-of-12 shooting. Lauri Markkanen scored 18 but made only 4 of 13 shots, getting 9 of his points at the line. Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 15 in his first game back at FedExForum since Memphis traded him to Utah last February, then fouled out in the fourth quarter. Jaxson Hayes blocked 6 shots, Ace Bailey scored 12 off the bench and Peterson finished with 9. Utah had 12 blocks but 18 turnovers and went 22-of-33 at the free-throw line. The Jazz played without Jusuf Nurkic (foot).
What’s next
The Grizzlies visit the Golden State Warriors on Friday, October 23 (10 p.m. ET, 5 a.m. Saturday Cairo time). The Jazz host the New Orleans Pelicans the same night (9:30 p.m. ET, 4:30 a.m. Saturday Cairo time).
Full box score and play-by-play: Game Center. All-time head-to-head. Before the game: how the Grizzlies planned to honor Brandon Clarke.
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