The Utah Jazz look to bounce back against Memphis Grizzlies

After another late-game loss against the Chicago Bulls, the Utah Jazz (20-22) look to get themselves back on track against the second-seeded Memphis Grizzlies (25-13). After a rough stretch in their schedule, the Grizzlies are now rolling, having won five straight games entering tonight. With this game capping the second night of a back-to-back, the Jazz will have to find a way to keep the game close through high-levels of energy.

Looking back at their last ten games, Utah has put up a measly record of 3-10. It’s safe to say that after their hot start, the pendulum has swung back towards reality. Yet, this Jazz team continues to be incredibly difficult to evaluate. Over those seven losses, all but one resulted in Utah losing by more than 10 points. More so than any team I’ve watched in recent history, the Jazz consistently match the level of play of their opponent. Whether its through the continued All-Star play of Lauri Markkanen or a role player elevating their game, the Jazz continue to make each game interesting. As a fan, it makes the games incredibly fun to watch, regardless of the result.

Game Info

When: 4:00 PM MT

Where: FedExForum, Memphis, Tennessee

TV: ATTSN-RM

Radio: 97.5 FM/1280 AM The Zone

What to Watch For

Can Ochai Agbaji continue making an impact?

Last night, Ochai Agbaji had the best game of his young career. In 21 minutes, Agbaji scored 19 points on 7-7 shooting from the field and 4-4 shooting from three. Like many, I’m happy to finally see Agbaji crack the rotation. For one, it makes almost zero sense to keep a recent lottery pick off the floor on a team that has no chance to win a championship. But more importantly, given how Willy Hardy has seemed to give minutes to those who have impressed both in and out of games, it shows that Agbaji has continued to work hard for his playing time.

What has impressed me the most about Agbaji’s recent performances has been his willingness to make smart drives off the dribble. While we have only seen a small sample size, I love seeing Agbaji look more comfortable and confident on the court. Moving forward, I hope he can work on using his athleticism for auxiliary skills like rebounding and team defense.

The Grizzlies are betting favorites in this NBA matchup, with the spread sitting at -8.5 (-110). The Jazz vs Grizzlies Over/Under is 235.5 total points for the game.