1 stud and 2 duds from Utah Jazz loss to Grizzlies

We will not criticize the Utah Jazz for losing to a contending Memphis Grizzlies team without either of Rudy Gobert or Donovan Mitchell. We will simply be forced to acknowledge that it happened.

The Grizzlies smelled blood in the water, and they struck. The Jazz fought for their lives, and they weren’t able to save them.

Memphis was particularly hard for the Jazzmen to handle in transition. They beat them in fastbreak points by a final tally of 29-18. Arguably, that was the difference in this 119-109 contest.

Rudy Gobert’s presence would likely have made up some of that difference on defense, and Donovan Mitchell’s could have on the other end. Those possibilities will remain hypothetical. The Utah Jazz dropped yet another contest.

Here is 1 stud and 2 duds from it.

Utah Jazz stud: Danuel House Jr.

House Jr is entrenching himself as a key contributor to this Jazz team. It is feeling increasingly inevitable that he’ll sign a deal that keeps him on the roster for the rest of the year.

All told, the former Rocket finished with 21 points on 7/11 shooting, including a 4/6 mark from downtown, in just 16 minutes. The Jazz likely gave House Jr. a look as a potential 3-and-D forward. Since arriving in Salt Lake City, he’s made a point to demonstrate that he can be more than that.

Once Mitchell returns to the lineup, House is more likely to return to a complementary role on offense. That’s probably fine by him: he cut his teeth spacing the floor for James Harden in Houston. If he can bring the same combination of energy, floor spacing and occasional shot creation that he demonstrated last night, he’ll thrive in that role.