Jazz Look For Season Sweep Over Grizzlies

Mar 30, 2021, 5:47 PM | Updated: 8:04 pm

Utah Jazz guard Joe Ingles and Memphis Grizzlies guard Kyle Anderson (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)

(Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)

KSL Sports

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Utah Jazz can earn a sweep of the season series when they face the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night.

The two teams are familiar with one another after the Jazz won back-to-back games over the Grizzlies during a two-game weekend series that began on Friday. The Jazz narrowly escaped with a three point victory in the two teams’ opening games before a 16 point blowout win on Saturday.

The Jazz haven’t swept the Grizzlies since the 2017-18 season.

Jazz Hoping For Smooth Sailing After Rough Trip

The Jazz matchup with the Grizzlies likely won’t be the most stressful part of their one-game road trip to Memphis. On Tuesday, the team’s flight returned to Salt Lake City after the plane incurred a bird strike shortly after takeoff.

The team’s flight was in the air for a little more than 15 minutes before returning to the airport, causing a six-and-a-half-hour delay before reboarding.

The plane landed safely, though Jazz players expressed their gratitude after returning to the ground.

🙏🏾

— Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) March 30, 2021

On the floor, the Jazz own a share of the longest win streak in the NBA at six games with the Los Angels Clippers. The Jazz have won 20 consecutive home games, matching a franchise record, and haven’t lost away from Vivint Arena since March 18.

Donovan Mitchell did not make the trip with the Jazz and will miss the game for personal reasons.

The guard has been playing particularly well for the Jazz during their recent streak. The guard is averaging 29.5 points, 6.0 assists, and 4.3 rebounds over the team’s last six games. The All-Star has been dialed in as a shooter, connecting on 55 percent of his shots from the floor and 52 percent of his three-point attempts.

Mitchell is the only player in Jazz history to make at least four three-pointers in five consecutive games.

Grizzlies Looking To Stay In Playoff Picture

While the Jazz look to strengthen their stranglehold on the NBA’s best record, the Memphis Grizzlies are hoping to climb into the Western Conference playoff picture.

Memphis currently sits in the ninth seed, one game behind the eighth-seeded San Antonio Spurs. If the playoffs were to start today, the Grizzlies would play the Spurs in the NBA’s postseason play-in tournament, having to win two games on San Antonio’s home floor for an opportunity to play the Jazz in the first round.

The @utahjazz swept the @memgrizz to earn their fifth straight win.

Donovan Mitchell has been on a tear as of late.

Jordan Clarkson's slump is over.

And Matt Thomas makes his debut

It's all here! #takenote https://t.co/1iw87QwmTq

— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) March 28, 2021

The Jazz blew a 21 point third quarter lead to the Grizzlies on Friday night, however, guard Dillon Brooks’ three-point attempt with 5.5 seconds remaining rimmed out leading to the Grizzlies’ loss in Utah.

Memphis again found itself on the wrong side of a blowout on Saturday, trailing by as many as 30 points in the second half, but never closed the gap to fewer than 16 points.

Key Matchup

The key matchup will pit Memphis point guard Ja Morant against former Grizzlies guard Mike Conley. Conley struggled badly against his former team on Friday night scoring just five points while connecting on just 2-13 shots from the floor and 1-6 from the three-point line.

However, the guard made three crucial hustle plays to close the game, securing a loose ball with just over a minute to play, grabbing the rebound off of Brooks late missing, and winning a jump ball against Morant to secure to ensure the win.

Air Morant ✈️@JaMorant | @DeAnthonyMelton pic.twitter.com/Fjg1yG32Xn

— Memphis Grizzlies (@memgrizz) March 28, 2021

Conley didn’t appear in Saturday night’s matchup as he continues to rehab a hamstring injury suffered earlier this season.

Morant was brilliant in the series opener, scoring 32 points on 11-21 shooting while handing out 11 assists. The guard struggled in the second night of the teams’ matchup scoring just 12 points on 4-12 shooting while dishing out four assists.