The Memphis Grizzlies travel to take on the Utah Jazz on Wednesday in their first game of the season.
Wednesday is the night where most of the league kicks off the 2024-25 NBA season and that includes the Memphis Grizzlies and Utah Jazz. These two finished nearly in the exact same spot in the Western Conference standings. Utah was only slightly better than Memphis last year with four more wins than the Grizzlies. The difference in these standings is that finishing under .500 might have been the expectations for Utah coming into last season. This was not the case for Memphis at all. The Grizzlies finished the year before with 51 wins and a division title. Memphis was expected to make the next leap especially since it got some great defensive support in acquiring Marcus Smart to compliment big man Steven Adams. But a big flaw in that plan was the suspension of star Ja Morant serving a second suspension after flashing a gun over the summer.
How to Watch Memphis Grizzlies at Utah Jazz Today:
Game Date: Oct. 23, 2024
Game Time: 9:00 p.m. ET
TV: Bally Sports Network Midwest Extra – Indiana (Evansville)
Live stream Memphis Grizzlies at Utah Jazz on Fubo: Start with your free trial today!
Morant returned in December, but he only played for a few weeks eventually needing shoulder surgery and he would miss the rest of the season. The offseason was quiet for Morant and the Grizzlies are expected to return right back to the top of the standings. Memphis added a big man in Zach Edey with the ninth overall pick in the NBA Draft with the departure of Adams to Houston in the offseason. Will all of this be enough to meet lofty expectations this season?
The expectations might not be as high for Utah but at least after last season the team has nailed down a legitimate star since trading Donovan Mitchell to Cleveland. It was Lauri Markkanen who they got back in the Mitchell trade. The Jazz resigned Markkanen in the offseason to a five-year, $238 million deal. Utah drafted right after Memphis at the 10th spot and drafted SG/SF Cody Williams from Colorado. This might be another rebuilding year after moving on from Mitchell, but Utah seems to be trending in the right direction.
Regional restrictions may apply.
