Jazz Can Take Commanding Lead Over Grizzlies In Game Four

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Utah Jazz can take a commanding 3-1 series lead over the Memphis Grizzlies with a victory tonight on the road in game four.

The Jazz won game two 121-111, recapturing home-court advantage in the series, and could send up an elimination game by returning to Salt Lake City needing just one more win to advance.

The Grizzlies meanwhile will be looking to even up the opening round matchup, while keeping the pressure on the top-seeded Jazz, and shortening the season to a best of three series.

Mitchell, Conley Key To Jazz Success

It’s been no secret that Donovan Mitchell and Mike Conley have been the key to the Jazz success in games two and three.

In game two, Mithell scored 25 points in his return to the Jazz after missing 17 consecutive games with an ankle injury, while Conley contributed 20 points and 15 assists.

As the Grizzlies adjusted their coverages on Conley, the guard took on more of a scoring role in game three, scoring 27 points, while handing out eight assists.

Mitchell saw his minutes increase between games two and three, as did his scoring. The All-Star is averaging nearly a point per minute while on the floor for the Jazz, scoring 25 points in 26 minutes in game two, and 29 points in 30 minutes in game three.

Mitchell scored 10 of the Jazz final 14 points after blowing an 11 point fourth quarter lead on Sunday, steering the team clear of a 2-1 series deficit.

In the Jazz lone loss of the series, Conley scored 22 points and had 11 assists, but shot just 6-18 from the field and was hampered by foul trouble. After initially being cleared to return, Mitchell was a late scratch from the series-opening loss.

Morant, Brooks Look To Carry Grizzlies

While Mitchell and Conley have been the offensive stars for the Jazz, it’s been Ja Morant and Dillon Brooks who have been tasked with carrying the offensive load for the Grizzlies.

The two young creators have scored at least 23 points in each game, while no other Grizzlies player has broken the 20 point plateau.

In fact, Morant and Brooks have combined to score 182 of the Grizzlies 352 points throughout the series, more than 51 percent of the team’s production. And, they’ve done it at an efficient rate.

The two Grizzlies stars are shooting 58 percent on shots inside the three-point arc, but have struggled from downtown connecting on just 31 percent of their 29 attempts.

In game three, the Grizzlies struggled to shoot the deep ball as a team outside of former Jazzman Grayson Allen. While Allen knocked down 5-8 attempts, his teammates shot just 8-33 from three.

The Jazz on the other hand continue to make the three-point shot the key weapon in their arsenal. Through three games, the Jazz are averaging 43 attempts per outing, while completing nearly 39 percent of their attempts.

Key Matchup In Game Four

Tonight’s key matchup will pit Mitchell against Brooks in a rivalry that has been brewing throughout the season. The players had two competitive battles during the regular season which carried over in the opening-round playoff series.

Fortunately for the Jazz, Mitchell has gotten the better of the Grizzlies’ standout defender.

In 24 possessions when Brooks has been Mitchell’s primary defender, the Jazz All-Star has scored 19 points on 5-7 (71 percent) shooting, including 4-6 (66 percent) from the three-point line, while earning seven trips to the free-throw line.

In roughly 49 possessions against all other Grizzlies defenders, Mitchell has scored just 35 points on just 12-35 (35 percent) shooting from the floor and 3-14 (21 percent) from three, while earning eight trips to the free-throw line.

Brooks has however continued to punish the Jazz offensively. The fourth-year wing is averaging 27 points per game, the second-most of any player in the series while shooting 53 percent from the floor and nearly 36 percent from three.

Broadcast

Game four between the Jazz and Grizzlies will tip-off at 7:30 pm MT, the game will be broadcast on TNT and AT&T SportsNet.