Jazz 92, Grizzlies 87
SALT LAKE CITY -- Guard Rodney Hood scored a career-high 32 points --including a pair of go-ahead free throws with 29.1 seconds left -- to lead the Utah Jazz to a 92-87 overtime victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday night.
Forward Gordon Hayward added 14 points and center Jeff Withey earned his second career double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds for Utah. The Jazz (15-17) won their third straight game despite giving up 23 points on 17 turnovers.
Center Marc Gasol scored 20 points and guard Courtney Lee added 17 to lead Memphis (18-17). Guard Mike Conley added 15 for the Grizzlies, who had a two-game winning streak snapped and lost their third straight road game.
Utah used a 7-0 run, punctuated by a steal and dunk from Hood, to take a 17-14 first quarter lead. Hood scored 10 points in the quarter. The Jazz shot 51 percent in the quarter. It helped Utah generate a ton of momentum that carried into the second quarter.
The Jazz opened the second quarter with another 7-0 run and took a 35-25 lead when Withey capped the spurt with a hook shot and a pair of free throws. Memphis prevented it from getting out of hand. The Grizzlies chipped away at the lead and used a 12-2 run to charge back in front. Conley capped the run with a 3-pointer that gave Memphis a 45-44 lead 44.9 seconds before halftime.
Memphis kept rolling in the third quarter. After Hayward drilled a 3-pointer to give Utah a 58-57 lead, the Grizzlies answered with a 9-0 run. Gasol completed the run with a jumper, giving Memphis a 66-58 lead with 3:48 left in the quarter.
The Grizzlies' offense went cold to start the fourth quarter. Memphis made a single basket over the opening five minutes, opening the door for the Jazz to sprint back ahead. Just like in the first quarter, Hood led the charge.
Hood scored 10 consecutive points for Utah, putting the Jazz ahead 78-74 after making a pair of 3-pointers, a jumper and a pair of free throws over a four-minute stretch. Memphis retook an 80-79 lead on a steal and layup from Lee with 2:34 remaining. Hood put the Jazz back in front with a jumper and, when Lee scored again with 42 seconds left, hit a free throw to tie it at 84-84 and help force overtime.
Hood's biggest points came late in overtime. He made a pair of go-ahead free throws with 29.1 seconds left after getting fouled with less than a second left on the shot clock. Conley missed a floater and Lee missed a 3-pointer in the final seconds that would have given Memphis the lead or forced overtime.
Forward Trevor Booker iced the victory for Utah by making 3 of 4 free throws in the final seconds.
NOTES: Jazz F Derrick Favors did not play for a fifth consecutive game because of back spasms. ... Grizzlies F Matt Barnes did not play for a second straight game while serving an NBA-mandated two-game suspension. ... Grizzlies C Marc Gasol averaged 18.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in his final 16 games of 2015. Gasol shot 48.7 percent from the field and 85.7 percent from the free throw line in those contests. ... Utah has held opponents to a league-low 18.8 assists per game. Teams are scoring 97.3 points per contest against the Jazz -- the fifth fewest among NBA teams.