Memphis Grizzlies forward Santi Aldama (7) throws the ball over Utah Jazz forward Brice Sensabaugh (28) during the second half of an NBA game at Delta Center. Mandatory attribution: Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images
Three Memphis players scored at least 22 points and the Grizzlies withstood a big surge from the Utah Jazz to win 126-124 in both teams’ NBA season opener Wednesday night in Salt Lake City.
Santi Aldama had team-highs with 27 points and five 3-pointers, Desmond Bane scored 24 points and Ja Morant had 22 points, 10 assists and five rebounds for the Grizzlies.
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Lauri Markkanen scored a game-high 35 points and added nine rebounds, and six other Jazz players scored in double figures.
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¡Pero qué estreno, @SantiAldama! 😳🐻
27 POINTS
5 Rebotes
2 assistants🇪🇸🔥 ¡Paragraphs 126-124! As it is, it’s a temporary thing. pic.twitter.com/UH8TGCFrcn
— NBASpain (@NBAspain) October 24, 2024
With about six minutes left in the fourth quarter, Bane hit a key three-pointer to help Memphis regain a five-point lead after Utah had overcome a 17-point deficit in the second quarter to briefly take the lead.
With less than three minutes left, Utah tied the score again at 116-116 with a tip-in from Walker Kessler.
Morant and Marcus Smart then made key layups in the final moments to secure the win. Smart finished the game with 11 points and five boards while playing stifling defense, and Jay Huff added 13 points.
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Kessler had a great game with 16 points, 14 rebounds and five blocked shots. Jordan Clarkson added 17 points and Collin Sexton 16 for Utah.
Utah outrebounded Memphis 49-41, but the Grizzlies turned 17 Jazz turnovers into 24 points and made seven more 3-pointers (17 vs. 10).
The Jazz scored the first five points of the game on baskets from Sexton and Markkanen.
Memphis responded with an 11-3 run capped by consecutive 3-pointers from Aldama.
Led by Aldama’s points, the Grizzlies jumped out to a lead of as many as 17 points in the first half before settling for a 61-50 lead at halftime.
Utah got within 81-79 on a dunk from Taylor Hendricks. The Grizzlies responded with six straight points.
Morant bridged the third and fourth quarters and scored nine straight points, helping Memphis regain a double-digit lead. His assist on a 3-pointer from John Konchar gave the Grizzlies a 101-88 lead early in the fourth.
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Utah fought back and tied the game 102-102 with eight minutes left on a three-pointer from Hendricks and a three-pointer from Markkanen. Hendricks hit a free throw to give Utah a 105-104 lead for the first time since the start of the first quarter.
The lead was short-lived. Bane and Huff struck one after the other from distance, and Memphis was stuck in the stretch. –Field level media