Ty Jerome scored 45 points on 17-of-25 shooting as the Memphis Grizzlies beat the Utah Jazz 123-103 on Wednesday at FedExForum, opening the season with a win built on a dominant second quarter and a historic night from their backup guard.
Memphis outscored Utah 35-20 in the second quarter to turn a tight game into a rout. The Grizzlies trailed 31-29 after the first period before Jerome took over, scoring in bunches while Zach Edey and Cameron Boozer controlled the glass. Keyonte George led Utah with 22 points and five assists in a losing effort, but the Jazz could not keep pace once Memphis found its rhythm inside.
Key Moments And How It Was Won
Utah built an early lead behind George and Lauri Markkanen, going up 31-22 late in the first quarter on a Svi Mykhailiuk three. Memphis answered immediately, with Jerome hitting a pair of free throws to cut the margin to 31-29 by the end of the period.
The second quarter belonged to the Grizzlies. Jerome scored on a layup to tie the game at 31 just over a minute into the period, then kept attacking, scoring on a driving floater and feeding Edey for a tip-in dunk and an 8-foot jumper. Cedric Coward added a corner three during the run. Memphis took a 44-36 lead by the midpoint of the quarter and never trailed again, carrying a 64-51 edge into halftime.
The Grizzlies’ largest lead reached 27 points, according to the official data, as Memphis outscored Utah 34-24 in the third quarter to push the margin out of reach. Memphis finished plus-23 on fast-break points, 23-9, and won the paint battle 58-46.
Top Performers
Jerome’s 45-point night included 6 assists and seven rebounds, finishing a team-best plus-22 for the Grizzlies. He shot 5 of 10 from three-point range and 6 of 7 from the free-throw line.
Boozer posted a double-double effort with 11 rebounds to go with seven points and five assists, though he shot just 2 of 15 from the field. Jaylen Wells added 12 points and four steals, while Jerami Grant contributed 15 points off the bench. Edey finished with six points and nine rebounds in 21 minutes.
For Utah, George’s 22 points paced the Jazz, with Markkanen adding 18 points and a game-high nine rebounds. Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 15 points but finished a team-worst minus-17. Utah shot 46% from the field but turned the ball over 18 times, which Memphis converted into 17 points.
What It Means
The win pushes Memphis to 1-0 and atop the Southwest Division standings alongside Houston to open the season. Utah drops to 0-1 and sits last in the Northwest Division. The Grizzlies lead the season series 1-0, according to the official data.
Memphis outrebounded Utah 55-38 and grabbed 15 offensive boards, numbers that reflect the size advantage Edey and Boozer provided inside against a Jazz frontcourt that struggled to match physically on the glass.
What’s Next
Both teams opened their seasons with Wednesday’s game at FedExForum. Memphis looks to build on the win from a roster that has featured ongoing competition for starting spots, detailed in Total Apex Sports’ coverage of the Grizzlies starting lineup competition. Utah will look to regroup after dropping its opener, with its rotation decisions already a storyline covered in the Jazz opening night rotation breakdown. The Jazz also enter the season without several players, including center Tony Bradley, who is listed as out for Utah.
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