Jazz Wrap Four-Game Road Trip With Blowout Loss To Grizzlies
Jan 25, 2025, 9:37 PM | Updated: Jan 27, 2025, 11:10 am
SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Jazz finished their four-game road trip with a winless record falling to the Memphis Grizzlies 125-103.
Collin Sexton scored 20 points to lead the Jazz, while Jaren Jackson Jr. led all scorers with 28.
Game Blog: Grizzlies Down Jazz In Memphis
Jazz Go Cold In Loss To Grizzlies
Though the Jazz own the worst record in the Western Conference at 10-33, they’ve rarely been blown out as badly as they were by the Grizzlies on Saturday night.
The team’s 22-point loss was their worst since a 37-point drubbing at the hands of the Los Angeles Clippers on December 16.
Since the blowout in LA, the Jazz had only lost by double-digits four times in their last 17 outings and hadn’t lost by more than 16.
The loss in Memphis was largely a result of poor shooting from the Jazz’s primary scorers.
Lauri Markkanen and Collin Sexton each shot 1-8 from three, while Keyonte George was 0-8.
Zach Edey had as many made threes tonight as Lauri Markkanen, Collin Sexton, and Keyonte George combined.
The difference is Edey was 2-3, while the Jazz trio was 2-24.
— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) January 26, 2025
“Lauri, Collin, and Keyonte combining for 2-24, that’s not something that I would expect to be a true number that’s representative of their shooting,” Jazz coach Will Hardy said, “and so those things can compound.”
The Grizzlies made only two more threes than the Jazz, 14-12, but attempted just 38 to the Jazz’s 47.
Svi Mykhailiuk, Kyle Filipowski, and Elijah Harkless combined to knock down 9-17 from downtown, but the rest of the team was just 3-30 in the loss.
“Ultimately, the three-point line is a big part of today’s game,” Hardy said. “It’s a big part of how we play. I thought we generated some good looks and the ball didn’t go in.”
Elijah Harkless Is Worthwhile Gamble For Jazz
Elijah Harkless had one of the more interesting statistical feats of the season for the Jazz against Memphis.
Though every other player on the Jazz had a plus-minus of -7 or worse, the rookie guard was +5.
It’s not uncommon for a little-used bench player to have a plus-minus that looks out of whack in an individual game, but rarely are they 12 points better than their closest teammate while recording over 22 minutes.
that makes 11 for @ejay_hoops2 🫡 pic.twitter.com/yVCyRwYDTm
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) January 26, 2025
That was the case with Harkless who scored a career-high 11 points to go with four rebounds and three steals on 3-7 shooting from the three-point line.
Harkless has proven to be a dangerous shooter in the G League connecting on nearly 47 percent of his attempts over the last two years, but it’s his defense that has given him a chance to earn him a spot in the NBA.
The 24-year-old is already the Jazz’s best perimeter defender and showed his toughness guarding Jaren Jackson Jr. after reserve center Drew Eubanks was ejected in the first half.
Harkless signed a two-year, two-way contract with the Jazz on January 1, and so far he’s been a pleasant surprise.
As the Boston Celtics and Oklahoma City Thunder have shown, having above-average defenders in the backcourt can significantly boost your championship hopes.
While the Jazz aren’t competing for a title anytime soon, players like Harkless are likely to be in higher demand, and the Jazz have him locked up for the foreseeable future.
Utah Jazz Next Broadcast
The Jazz will return home to host the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday at 7 p.m. MST. The game will be televised on KJZZ, streamed on Jazz+, and heard on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone.
Are you on Threads yet? Let’s connect, give us a follow @kslsports.
Ben Anderson is the Utah Jazz insider for KSL Sports and the co-host of Jake and Ben from 10-12p with Jake Scott on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone. Find Ben on Twitter at @BensHoops, on Instagram @BensHoops, or on BlueSky.
