Jazz Face Grizzlies In First In-Season Tournament Game
Nov 9, 2023, 7:53 PM
SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Jazz will look to win their first in-season tournament game when they face the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night.
The Jazz have lost three straight games on their current road trip, and are winless in five road games this season.
The Grizzlies meanwhile own the worst record in the NBA at 1-7.
What Is The In-Season Tournament?
The NBA announced the Jazz were in West Group A for the in-season tournament. The group features the Jazz, the Grizzlies, the Phoenix Suns, the Los Angeles Lakers, and the Portland Trail Blazers competing against one another in “cup games.”
Cup games consist of six five-team groups, separated by conference, but not by the league’s existing divisions.
Over the first six weeks of the season, the teams in each group will face one another one tie each, with two games being played at home, and two on the road.
Utah’s In-Season Tournament schedule was just released đź‘€
Predict the Jazz’s record in group play…#TakeNote #NBA https://t.co/98uaU4lyNn
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) August 15, 2023
The winner of each group, plus two wildcard teams will advance to the eight-team single-elimination tournament.
The final four teams will complete the tournament at a neutral site in Las Vegas beginning December 7, with players on the winning team each earning $500,000.
The Jazz open cup play against the Grizzlies on Friday, then return home for a game against Portland on November 14.
They will then wrap up cup play with games against the Suns in Salt Lake City on November 17 before heading to Los Angeles to play the Lakers on November 21.
The four cup games will be counted toward a team’s regular season record.
Jazz Look To Snap Losing Streak With New Lineup
Jazz coach Will Hardy made a major shakeup to his starting lineup in Wednesday’s loss to the Indiana Pacers.
Rookie Keyonte George got the first start of his NBA career and recorded seven points, nine assists, and just one turnover on 3-8 shooting from the floor.
“I think overall his poise and communication tonight was fantastic,” Hardy said of George’s performance.
The @utahjazz made a significant change putting Keyonte George in the starting lineup against the @pacers.
Who benefited, and who was hurt by the move?
And, what did Will Hardy say about the rookie’s performance?#TakeNote https://t.co/4WD08ujzer
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) November 9, 2023
Second-year wing Ochai Agbaji was also moved into the starting lineup after it was announced that sophomore center Walker Kessler would be sidelined for at least two weeks with a left elbow sprain.
The 2-7 Jazz own the fourth-worst defensive rating in the NBA and have given up 120 points or more in five of their nine outings this season.
Grizzlies Hoping For First Home Win Of Season
The Grizzlies are the only team yet to record a home win in the NBA this season.
Memphis’s lone victory came on the road in Portland when they knocked off the Trail Blazers 112-100 last Sunday.
.@memgrizz status report, Nov. 10 vs @utahjazz: pic.twitter.com/HS6Pf16Hfa
— Grizzlies PR (@GrizzliesPR) November 9, 2023
The Grizzlies own the league’s worst offense and were held to just 109 points in Utah, the Jazz’s best defensive outing of the season.
The Grizzlies will debut a new uniform and court combination against the Jazz for the in-season tournament.
How To Watch Jazz And Grizzlies Tournament Game
The Jazz will face the Grizzlies on Friday at 6 pm MST in Memphis. The game will be televised on KJZZ, streamed on Jazz+, and can be heard on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone.
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Ben Anderson is the Utah Jazz insider for KSL Sports and the co-host of Jake and Ben from 10-12p with Jake Scott on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone. Find Ben on Twitter at @BensHoops or on Instagram @BensHoops.
