Key Takeaways

• With Morant gone in the offseason, Jerome stepped into the spotlight as the starting point guard and delivered the franchise's season-opening scoring record, logging 13 points in the first quarter and 19 by halftime.
• His 45-point explosion eclipsed Morant's prior season-opening mark of 44 and marked a career high, surpassing his previous best of 33 set for the Cavaliers in January 2025.
• Jerome's line included 7 rebounds and 6 assists, and he became the first Grizzlies player to reach 45+ points, 5+ rebounds, and 5+ assists while shooting above 65% from the field.
• Memphis pulled away after halftime, starting the third quarter with an 18-4 run to make the lead 82-55 and extending the cushion to as much as 27 points on multiple occasions in the period.
• Jerami Grant contributed 15 points, including 13 in the second quarter, while Jaylen Wells and GG Jackson each had 12; Zach Edey grabbed nine rebounds as the team outrebounded Utah 55-38.
• Utah’s Keyonte George led the visitors with 22 points, Lauri Markkanen added 18 points and nine rebounds, and Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 15 before fouling out; Jaxson Hayes had a career-high six blocks for the Jazz.
• Memphis is slated to visit the Golden State Warriors on Friday to continue their campaign.