What a way to begin the In-Season Tournament.
After building a 21-point lead in the third quarter, the Jazz saw the Grizzlies claw back to make it a one-score game late in the fourth. But Jordan Clarkson caught fire on offense, and the defense rose to the occasion as Utah pulled out the 127-121 victory.
“I’m really, first and foremost, just happy and proud of the team,” head coach Will Hardy said. “It’s been a tough stretch. … And they’ve maintained their work ethic, their composure as a group. They’ve stuck together and just come to work every day.”
"The energy was here," Clarkson added postgame. "Definitely wanted to get a win going home… We kept competing, kept our composure. We slowed the game down a little bit and got to where we wanted to be."
Here are five things to know following the win.
1.) In-Season Tournament Time
There were definite questions when the In-Season Tournament was announced on July 8. How would this new format be received by the players? Would they treat it like a postseason game? Or was it going to be seen as a gimmick?
While the early returns from the rest of the NBA were positive last week, the Jazz proved they were all about it Friday night.
"It's like a playoff game," Clarkson said during shootaround Friday morning.
"These are competitors at the highest level. … It doesn't matter if we're going to shoot free throws for $5 or we're going to play a tournament for a lot more than $5," Hardy added. "If there's something on the line, the guys are very competitive. They're gonna go after that, I have no doubt this will be the same."
Utah is off to a 1-0 start in Group A of the Western Conference following Friday's victory over Memphis. The Jazz return to Salt Lake City for home games against the Blazers and Suns on Nov. 14 and 17, respectively. They close out group play with a road showdown against the Lakers in Los Angeles on the 21.
2.) Clarkson Closes Strong
After a Luke Kennard three cut Utah's lead to one with just over two minutes to play, the Jazz came dangerously close to letting a 21-point second-half lead slip away.
But Clarkson answered the call for the Jazz.
He got a steal and finished with a layup, and then, following a stop defensively, Clarkson buried a three to stretch Utah's lead to six with one minute to play. Keyonte George kicked down two free throws with 14.2 seconds left to clinch the win.
Clarkson finished with 26 points, four rebounds, and four assists, while Lauri Markkanen added 26 points, seven rebounds, and two blocks.
"We got the spacing," Clarkson said about the final minutes of regulation. "I feel confident in the shots that I take during the game. … We closed the game out. Big thing for us was defensively. … It was a good win for us."
3.) Oh My, John Collins
We already knew John Collins was extremely athletic, known for his high-flying dunks throughout his career.
While Collins had shown flashes of that skill throughout his early time in Utah, everyone had been waiting for him to catch his first body.
The wait ended on Friday night.
Collins threw down an absolutely VICIOUS one-handed dunk over Grizzlies center Bismack Biyombo. More impressive by Collins, Biyombo was whistled for the foul on the dunk attempt.
Collins finished with 18 points (3-of-3 from deep), three rebounds, and four blocks.
4.) Agbaji Catches Fire
After ending last year on fire, expectations were high for Ochai Agbaji. However, he started his sophomore season slowly while trying to find his role amidst Utah's backcourt pile-up.
Since moving to the starting lineup two nights ago — alongside George — Agbaji looks much more comfortable. He broke out of his early-season slump with 15 points and six rebounds. He shot 6-of-8 from the floor and 3-of-5 from beyond the arc.
While it was expected the offense would come at some point, Agbaji was very good defensively against Memphis. He navigated screens well, was vocal in help defense, and stood up individually to the tune of two blocks.
5.) Much-Needed Break
It’s no secret the schedule makers did the Jazz no favors in the early part of the season.
Following Friday's win, the Jazz now lead the Western Conference with 10 games played. Their six road games are second in the conference, trailing Golden State's seven. Since the season started on Oct. 25, Utah is the only team in the West to not have at least a two-day break between games.
The good news is that the Jazz will have an extended and much-needed break upon returning home. Utah will play two games in the next seven days, both at home. This will allow them to rest their bodies and get in some practice time — which is just as valuable for a team that's been making lineup/rotation changes already.