Game 2 between the Utah Jazz and Memphis Grizzlies went about as expected with Donovan Mitchell coming back into the lineup. The Jazz played much more fluently and kept the lead throughout the entire game. However, the Grizzlies now have a taste for how Utah plays with its star guard. With a few adjustments, Memphis could find themselves in it late in Game 3.
Utah is the heavy favorite to win the series, but the Grizzlies won't go down without a fight. We saw that with Ja Morant's 47 points, seven assists, and four rebounds in Game 2, as he did everything imaginable to keep his team in the race. Unfortunately for Morant and his teammates, the Jazz were hot throughout the game, shooting 54.4% from the field and 19-of-39 from 3-point range.
Game 3 should be exciting with the Grizzlies taking it home to Memphis. They hope to take a 2-1 lead over Utah, but they'll have to work for it to obtain a lead in this series again. With Mitchell back, the Jazz are primed for a deep run and will be relying on each other to secure the win.
With that said, here are three bold predictions for Jazz-Grizzlies in Game 3.
1. Ja Morant drops 50 points
He nearly did it on Wednesday night and will have a chance to break the 50-point mark on Saturday. Morant gives the Grizzlies their best chance of shocking the world and defeating the first-place Jazz in Round 1. The young Grizzlies star will have to lead his team in points while his teammates around him supplement his production throughout the series for that to happen.
Look for Morant to come out aggressive for Game 3. He's most effective driving to the paint then quickly floating in a teardrop. The Grizzlies' best chance of retaking the lead of this series is for Ja Morant to attack the rim at will.
2. Utah's 3-point shooting stays hot
The Jazz just couldn't miss from deep on Wednesday night as Bojan Bogdanović and Joe Ingles tickled the twine throughout. Memphis struggled to guard Utah's stellar ball movement as 3-point shooters were routinely open all over the place. There is no reason to think that slows down for Game 3, as the Jazz have dominated from beyond the arc all year.
This was one of three areas the Jazz took advantage of in Game 2. Their 3-point shooting, rebounding, and ball movement kept them ahead throughout the game. Look for Utah to devise a similar game plan as it hopes to take a 2-1 lead in the series after Game 3.
3. Rudy Gobert struggles
Rudy Gobert dominates the paint and is the best interior defender in the league. This series falls right into his wheelhouse as Memphis scores more in the paint than any other team in the NBA. With Gobert off the floor, the Grizzlies' offense should vastly improve.
If Memphis is smart, game planning around forcing Rudy Gobert into foul trouble should be high on the list of things to do. With Morant attacking the rim and Jonas Valančiūnas playing old-school basketball, Memphis could put Gobert into foul trouble and take advantage of Utah's weakened interior. A task much easier said than done, of course, but one that can still be pulled off.
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