Salt Lake City (USA), May 23 (EFE). – The first round of the qualifiers could not have started between Utah Jazz, the team with the best record in the league, and the more exciting and surprising Memphis Grizzlies, who had to reach the playoff roles through the “controversial” tournament, after the visitors won 109- 112.
Striker Dillon Brooks confirmed that every day he nears the elite of the best players in the NBA with 31 points and seven rebounds, he was responsible for driving the great victory of the Grizzlies, who had four junior players with double numbers.
Without star goalkeeper Donovan Mitchell, who is still embroiled in an injury problem, on the field, Jazz lacked the player who could pinpoint the decisive moments as did Brooks and point keeper Ja Morant, who finished with 26 points, four rebounds and four assists. .
While the Lithuanian Center Jonas Valanciunas also emerged as a winning factor by doing a great job in painting and in fights with French number five Rudi Joubert, the tall man of jazz.
Valancionas finished a double double of 15 points, 12 rebounds, three assists and a block in 39 minutes he was on the field.
Striker Kyle Anderson wrapped up the list of four Grizzlies with two-digit numbers by scoring 14 points.
But above all, the former Tottenham player put on an impressive defense by picking up four rebounds, distributing three assists and winning back six balls, for just one loss.
The eighth-seeded Grizzlies put jazz, the top seed in the Western Conference, into an early and special hole with pressure to win the second match of the series’ best out of seven to be played at their Vivint Stadium. Salt Lake City.
Now Jazz will not have the domain advantage, which they will have to redeem when they go to play Memphis in Game 3 of the series.
The reality of the jazz team now is deciphering how to contain the remarkable individual, team and defensive work the team did under the direction of their coach Taylor Jenkins, who won the duel against veteran Quinn Snyder.
Brooks set a record for the franchise record in one game for the Memphis player who made his NBA debut, surpassing the 24 points scored by Mark Gasol of Spain against the San Antonio Spurs on April 17, 2011.
Croatian striker Boyan Bogdanovic scored 20 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter to lead the jazz team, but missed 7 of 11 attempts out of 3 points.
Whereas, former Grizzlies franchise player Mike Conley scored twice from 22 points, 11 assists and six rebounds, which ultimately couldn’t win for jazz either.
Joubert also finished with a double double of 11 points and 15 rebounds, while the powerful striker Derek Wavers finished 12 points and 11 balls were captured under the hoops, which also did not prevent the first surprise defeat generated on the second day of the playoffs. 2021 from the NBA.
In other results for the day, the Philadelphia Sixers beat the Washington Wizards 125-118, the Phoenix Suns beat the Los Angeles Lakers 99-90 and the New York Knicks lost 105-107 to the Atlanta Hawks at home.
(C) The EFE Agency
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