Mitchell Unhappy With Officials In Loss To Grizzlies

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Donovan Mitchell was not happy that he was not at the foul line with less than 1 second left in Utah’s 107-106 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.

Forward Solomon Hill stripped Mitchell on the attempt to win the game, but replays showed that Hill hit Mitchell’s hand.

The play, though, could not be reviewed.

“It’s a no call call so you can’t challenge it. So it’s just one of those things,” said Jazz coach Quin Snyder. “You could point to a last play, or a singular play…but there were enough plays for us in the game that were in our control that we can be better at and we were not able to over come that.”

Mitchell was subdued, but upset that he didn’t get a chance to win the game at the free throw line

“This is the third time this has happened in 12 games at the end of the game and I haven’t gotten a foul call which is at this point, ridiculous…I don’t what (the referees) were looking at, but at the end of the day, it was a foul.”

Donovan Mitchell was very candid in the locker room about the no-call at the end of the Jazz/Grizzlies game.

"This is the third time this has happened in 12 games at the end of the game and I haven't gotten a foul call which is at this point ridiculous." pic.twitter.com/bUNCxD7fw6

— Jeremiah Jensen (@JJSportsBeat) November 16, 2019

Mitchell, who finished with 29 points on 9-21 shooting, had plenty of opportunities late in the game to put Utah on top. Memphis had a 107-105 lead when Mitchell missed a 3-pointer with 1:19 left in the game. And with 29.3 seconds, he missed a step back jumper with Utah trailing by one.

Jazz center Rudy Gobert gave the Jazz one more chance to win. Memphis rookie Ja Morant drove on Bojan Bogdanoic and looked to float up a shot after a nice fake, but Gobert swatted it away and the ball was recovered by Royce O’Neale with 2.8 seconds left in the game.

BLOCK NUMBER FIVE OH MY#TakeNote pic.twitter.com/QTl7AiPkf8

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) November 16, 2019

Gobert blocked 5 shots and was Utah’s second leading scorer with 23 points. He also grabbed 17 rebounds including 7 offensive boards. The Stifle Tower also missed a key free throw that could have tied the game at 107.

Bojan Bogdanovic scored 20-points, but was only 6-15 from the field.

Mike Conley’s return to Memphis was memorable and forgettable. Conley received a standing ovation to start the game and a video tribute during the first timeout. But he also shot 5-19 from the field and finished with 15 points.

Morant is looking more and more like as the NBA Rookie of the Year candidate. He scored the game winning shot with 1:32 left in the game and ended up with 25 points and 8 assists in the game. His explosiveness was on display all night.

all heart. ja and grind. @JaMorant | #GrzNxtGen

📺Watch on @GrizzliesOnFSSE 📺 pic.twitter.com/vg53OeI1Je

— Memphis Grizzlies (@memgrizz) November 16, 2019

Conley had nothing but praise for Morant after the game.

“He’s athletic. He’s quick. He’s very poised and makes big plays. We got to see it all tonight and I thought he did a great job.”

Dillon Brooks added 20 points for the Grizzlies and former Jazzman and Jae Crowder scored 11 points.

Jazz (8-4) next play against Minnesota on Monday night. Tip-off is at 7 p.m. and will be broadcast on AT&T SportsNet.