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After a thrilling Game 2 where the Utah Jazz evened the series with a 141-129 win over the Memphis Grizzlies, they now head on the road to Tennessee. After a surprising loss in Game 1, the Jazz were back to their best on Wednesday night with seven players scoring 14 or more points.
Ja Morant did his best to keep the matchup close, pouring in 47 points and will demand a better defensive performance from the Utah Jazz in Game 3 on Saturday.
Match Details
Fixture - Utah Jazz vs Memphis Grizzlies | Game 3, 2021 NBA Playoffs
Date & Time - Saturday, May 29th, 9:30 PM ET (Sunday, May 30th, 7:00 AM IST)
Venue - FedEx Forum, Memphis, TN
Utah Jazz Preview
Finishing with the No.1 seed and the best record in the NBA brings with it a lot of pressure. Without their star point guard Donovan Mitchell in Game 1, the Utah Jazz looked out of sorts. They shot the ball at 42% from the field and at just 25% from downtown.
Those numbers were an anomaly in a season when the Jazz have dominated from beyond the arc and in Game 2 they restored order by shooting at 48.7%. Joe Ingles and Jordan Clarkson were hugely effective off the bench, while Mike Conley added 20 points and 15 assists.
Their defense showed signs of weakness, however, and will be something head coach Quin Snyder will be looking to address as they head on the road to Memphis.
Key Player - Donovan Mitchell
Donovan Mitchell wasted no time in his return to the Utah Jazz lineup on Wednesday night. In his first eight minutes back on the court since the 16th of April, the diminutive guard poured in 12 points, including three treys.
Possibly the most important role he played on the night was getting Memphis Grizzlies' aggressive defender, Dillon Brooks, into early foul trouble.
Mitchell was limited to just 26 minutes in Game 2 but grabbed 25 points in that time. The difference in the Utah Jazz' performance was starkly different from Game 1 with him on the court.
His energy is infectious, and Mitchell's aim to prove people wrong that has been fueling him all season will only bode well for the Jazz' playoff hopes.
Utah Jazz Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Mike Conley Jr. | Shooting Guard - Donovan Mitchell | Small Forward - Bojan Bogdanovic | Power Forward - Royce O'Neale | Center - Rudy Gobert
Memphis Grizzlies Preview
Although all of the Memphis Grizzlies starters scored in double digits on Wednesday, they were undone by some early foul trouble from Dillon Brooks and Jonas Valancuinas. Furthermore, for a team that averaged 46.5 boards per game during the regular season, the Grizzlies were well off the pace with just 33 rebounds on the night to the Utah Jazz's 42.
Where the Memphis Grizzlies need improvements from is in their bench contribution. They have been considerably outscored in both matchups and have shot the ball poorly, making 6-20 attempts from the field on Wednesday night.
Key Player - Ja Morant
Ja Morant doesn't see himself and the Memphis Grizzlies' playoff appearances as a case of making up the numbers - he means business. The 21-year-old scored a staggering 47 points on Wednesday - a career-high - and dished out seven dimes.
If the Memphis Grizzlies are going to cause an upset in this series, it will be because of Morant's brilliance. Few players in the league can say they dominated the Utah Jazz' stiff defensive structure this year, but he is now one of them and has earned their respect.
He is a fearless competitor who even tried to dunk over Rudy Gobert in Game 2. With home-court advantage now, the Utah Jazz are going to have to find a better way to stop him driving into the lane. They will also have to prevent Morant from abusing the switch on the Frenchman, who failed on multiple occasions to come out and disrupt the young star's mid-range game.
Memphis Grizzlies Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Ja Morant | Shooting Guard - Dillon Brooks | Small Forward - Kyle Anderson | Power Forward - Jaren Jackson Jr. | Center - Jonas Valancuinas
Jazz vs Grizzlies Match Prediction
The Utah Jazz played like they had all season in Game 2. While their defense failed to stop Morant, their offense was slick and they took advantage of their deep roster of scorers. For the Memphis Grizzlies to stop them, they will have to avoid getting into early foul trouble and rebound the ball more.
If they can do that, the Memphis Grizzlies will fancy their chances of causing another upset with home-court advantage.
Where to watch the Jazz vs Grizzlies matchups
The much-anticipated Game 3 will be broadcast on AT&T Sportsnet, Bally Sports Southeast - Memphis and nationally on ESPN. On NBA League Pass, the game will also be available to stream live.
