In the Salt Lake City Summer League on Thursday, 7th July, at Vivint Arena, Ziaire Williams scored a game-high 19 points to open the way for Memphis Grizzlies to a 95-84 win over the Utah Jazz.
After a quarter, the Jazz had a 29-17 advantage after a strong start. Both teams continued to play well in the second, but the Jazz retained their top spot and led by 12 points at the half. Beginning with a solid third quarter in which they outplayed the Jazz 30-18 to tie the game going into the fourth, the Grizzlies turned things around in the second half. The Grizzlies maintained their lead over the Jazz in the final period, outscoring them by an increase of 11 points to take home an impressive victory.
Butler did finish with 22 points on 8 of 21 shooting as Utah lost to the Memphis Grizzlies by the score of 95-84 at Vivint Arena. Butler is one of the few players on the Summer League roster of Jazz with a reasonable chance to make the team this fall, if not the only one.
Utah finished 0-3 in its own Summer League, which was not unexpected given that it lacked some of the offensive firepowers that other teams had. Utah was not represented by choice in the most recent draft. It is uncertain whether some players acquired in the Rudy Gobert deal, including No. 22 pick Walker Kessler, will travel to the Las Vegas Summer League with the club.
The Grizzlies had 5 players with scoring rates in double figures in addition to Williams, including David Roddy with 16 points and 5 rebounds and Santi Aldama with 14 points and 8 rebounds. The Grizzlies had a field goal percentage of 45 percent, but they were only 6-for-31 from beyond the arc.
The 3-game set has been seen as a chance for the 6-3 Baylor guard, who’d been selected in the second round of the NBA draft last summer, to demonstrate his abilities to new coach Will Hardy.
Butler scored 10 points on Tuesday, 3 of 10 shooting in the opening game. He also had four assists and three turnovers in 22 minutes and 19 seconds. He didn’t play on Wednesday, and he was better on Thursday, especially after that successful opening shot. In almost 29 minutes, he finished 4 of 15 from 3-point range and had seven rebounds and seven assists.
With 22 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists, and a steal, Jared Butler did lead the Jazz in the meantime. Kofi Cockburn finished with 12 points, nine rebounds, 2 assists, a steal, and a block, while Bruno Caboclo decided to add 17 points, 7 rebounds, 3 blocks, and a steal.
Both teams will be back in form on Saturday as the Jazz play the Hawks, and the Grizzlies play the Clippers.
