With 30 points from Donovan Mitchell, the Utah Jazz beat the Memphis Grizzlies 120-113 on Monday and were one step away (3-1) from advancing to the semifinals of the NBA Western Conference.
With four minutes to go, the Jazz led by just three points (109-106), but an 11-7 offense led by Mitchell, Mike Conley and Frenchman Rudy Gobert sealed the win.
Mitchell led the way for the Jazz with 30 points, followed by 24 by Jordan Clarkson off the bench and 17 by Gobert with eight rebounds.
Ja Monrat stood out for the Grizzlies with 23 and 12 assists, followed by Dillon Brooks and Jaren Jackson with 21 each and the Lithuanian Jonas Valenciunas with 14 points and 12 sacks.
Game 5 of this best-of-seven series will be Wednesday at the Utah Jazz.
The Jazz had entered the game with 262 points in the past two games, the most for Utah in any two-game span in playoff history.
It’s true that the rebounding fight was fairly even as each team captured 42 balls under the boards, but Utah outscored the Grizzlies on 3-pointers with 17 of 35 attempts to 10 of 35 Memphis.
Now, the team with the NBA’s best record in the regular season can close out this first round next Wednesday in Salt Lake City.
All-Star Gobert scored 13 of his 17 points in the third quarter. Jordan Clarkson, the ‘Best Sixth Man’ of the year, scored 24.
De’Anthony Melton finished with 15 points, all in the fourth quarter, for the Grizzlies, who had started in that stretch with a 12-2 streak, taking advantage of the fact that the Jazz missed their first nine shots.
The Jazz finished with a 12-11 ERA on free throws in the fourth quarter, led by Mitchell, who was 12-of-13 for the entire game. (GG) (AFP)