MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Gordon Hayward and Derrick Favors scored 21 points each, Rudy Gobert added 15 points and a career-best 24 rebounds to lead the Utah Jazz to a 93-82 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday night.
Rodney Hood finished with 13 points for Utah, shot 45 per cent and won its third straight.
Courtney Lee led Memphis with 18 points, while Marc Gasol finished with 17 points and eight rebounds. Rookie Jordan Adams added 13 points on 6-for-8 shooting, while Mike Conley scored 11, but was 4 of 11 from the field.
The Grizzlies, who have lost three of four, were short-handed with starting forward Zach Randolph and reserve guard Beno Udrih out with illness, and defensive stalwart Tony Allen suspended for the game due to a violation of team policy.
The Jazz used the scoring of Hood and Favours to open the fourth quarter to extend the lead to 81-70 as the game approached the midway point of the period.
Utah’s lead eventually reached 14, and Memphis never really threatened the rest of the way.
Gobert’s rebounding, including six on the offensive end, provided the Jazz with a 55-37 advantage in rebounds as Memphis missed the presence of Randolph, its leading rebounder.
Memphis led 38-37 at the break after a half that was plagued by poor shooting. Memphis shot 38 per cent, considerably better the Jazz connecting on 30 per cent, Hayward missed seven of his nine shots, including a handful of misfires from outside the arc.
Favours had 11 to lead Utah. Lee had 10 for Memphis. Gobert already had 16 rebounds at the half.
Whatever shooting struggles Hayward endured in the first half, disappeared in the third quarter. He got free for a couple of inside buckets early, then extended the distance with jumpers, hitting five of his first six shots in the period.
By the midway point of the third, Gobert already had matched his career-best with 18 rebounds.
That helped the Jazz build the lead to 55-47 and hold a 64-61 advantage at the end of the third behind Hayward’s 13 in the frame.
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TIP-INS
Jazz: Utah, second in the league in blocks at six a game, had seven against Memphis. … Gobert’s previous high in rebounds was 18 against the Spurs on Jan. 18. … The Jazz won three straight for the first time this season.
Grizzlies: Memphis coach Dave Joerger did not elaborate on the policy Allen violated leading to the suspension. … Grizzlies outscored the Jazz 20-19 in opening quarter. That broke a string of six straight first quarters where opponents had outscored Memphis. … The Grizzlies were 6-0 on Tuesdays before the loss to the Jazz.
UP NEXT
Jazz: At Boston on Wednesday.
Grizzlies: At Houston on Wednesday.
