SALT LAKE CITY — Ja Morant had 22 points, 10 assists and five rebounds in his return to action to lead the Memphis Grizzlies to a 126-124 victory over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night.
Morant appeared in just nine games last season after serving a 25-game league suspension before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury. Santi Aldama scored 27 points and Desmond Bane added 24 more for the Grizzlies.
Lauri Markkanen had 35 points and nine rebounds for Utah. Jordan Clarkson chipped in for 17 points and seven assists off the bench. Walker Kessler had 16 points and 14 rebounds.
The Jazz erased a double-digit deficit in the fourth quarter and tied it at 116 on Kessler’s tip-in with 2:48 left. Aldama scored back-to-back baskets to put the Grizzlies in front for good.
Grizzlies: Memphis cooked the Jazz from the perimeter for the bulk of four quarters. Aldama, Bane, and Jay Huff combined for 12 of the Grizzlies’ 17 3-poiners.
Jazz: Sloppiness on offense undermined Utah’s efforts to rally until the fourth quarter. The Jazz committed 16 turnovers, leading to 22 points for Memphis, in the first three quarters.
After trailing by as many as 17 points in the first half, Utah took a 105-104 lead with 6:45 left after a 17-3 run. Taylor Hendricks and Markkanen combined for two baskets and four free throws in the run to set up a tight finish.
Huff had 13 points on 4-of-6 shooting, marking just the fourth time in his NBA career – and the first time in two seasons – that he’s scored in the double digits.
The Grizzlies visit Houston on Friday, and the Jazz host Golden State on the same night.
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