Mitchell led Jazz with 29 points and they took the lead 2–1 in this series
Bojan Bogdanovic and Jordan Clarkson made a couple of threes to build a 10-point lead in the third quarter (it happened twice), then in the fourth quarter tied the game (98–98) with 7:50 left in the clock. Memphis took the lead with 107–105 and then Mitchell scored 10 of his total 29 points in the fourth quarter to close out the game 121–111 to give the Jazz the lead 2–1 in the series.
This was the second game back for Mitchell, who missed the final 16 games of the regular season and the first game in this series with a sprained right ankle. He was a bit more stoic in this game, and he said it was to help preserve himself for the end of games.
“It’s a long game,” Mitchell said. “It’s been a while and just getting back into it. That’s really it. Understanding that trying to save your energy as much as possible, not needing to be as exuberant, I think that’s the right word to use, but I think just not being as loud and kind of demonstrative in my movements.”
Rudy Gobert had 15 points and 14 rebounds, Bojan Bogdanovic and Jordan Clarkson added 15 apiece for Utah.
Ja Morant led Memphis with 28 points, and Dillon Brooks had 27. Grayson Allen added 17 off the bench, Kyle Anderson had 11 points and 13 rebounds, and Jonas Valanciunas had 10 points and 13 rebounds.
“They made the plays down the stretch,” Jenkins said of the Jazz in the first quarter. “Couldn’t get the stops. A couple of and-1s.. The first quarter, we just didn’t have the discipline. … Too many breakdowns, and they made us pay.”