NBA 2K21 simulation for Memphis Grizzlies vs. Utah Jazz

The Memphis Grizzlies are at home tonight, taking on the Utah Jazz for the third time in six days. The Jazz got the best of the Grizzlies in both previous games, winning a close game 117-114, then winning comfortably 126-110.

Both teams are coming off of wins against bottom-tier teams and are both looking to extend their streaks. Memphis has struggled against Western Conference opponents, going 11-16 so far this season. A win against the top team in the west would be huge for this team.

Do the Memphis Grizzlies finally get a win against the Utah Jazz in the NBA 2K21 simulation?

The first quarter was fairly back-and-forth for both teams, but the quarter ended with the Jazz in the lead, 31-29. The main reasoning for the Jazz’s edge in the first is due to their control of the boards and creating turnovers, giving them fast break opportunities. The Grizzlies didn’t struggle offensively by any means, but the Jazz just created more offensive opportunities for themselves.

The second quarter featured much stingier defense from both teams. The Jazz once again outscored the Grizzlies, but only by one point. The Jazz won the quarter 21-20 and held the lead at half 52-49. To this point, the Grizzlies had shot well, shooting over 50% from both the field and behind the arc, but they turned the ball over 11 times, ruining any potential for momentum. The Grizzlies’ leading scorers at the break were Dillon Brooks and Tyus Jones, with nine points each.

Throughout the game, the Jazz kept slipping more and more away, ever so slightly. In the third, the Jazz extended their lead once again, this time to 81-74. The Grizz really struggled from both the three-point line and the free-throw line this quarter, going 1-for-6 and 2-for-6 respectively. Memphis lead in the majority of statistical categories this quarter, however, the simple fact is that the Jazz just shot better.

In the fourth quarter, it was a battle of offenses, but the Jazz prevailed, winning 120-104. In the end, the Grizzlies didn’t shoot well enough and they struggled with turnovers. They did well spreading the ball around and scoring in the paint, but they struggled from the perimeter and free throw line specifically, shooting 33% and 69% respectively. The main contributor for the Grizzlies was star center Jonas Valanciunas, scoring 18 points and securing 18 rebounds.

Here are some of the key statlines from the simulation:

Memphis Grizzlies (104 points, 49 rebounds, 28 assists, 8 steals, 0 blocks, 51% FG, 33% 3PT, 69% FT)

Starters

PG: Ja Morant (33 minutes) – 17 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 7/11 FG, 3/4 3PT

SG: De’Anthony Melton (29 minutes) – 12 points, 2 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, 6/13 FG, 0/1 3PT

SF: Dillon Brooks (30 minutes) – 15 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, 7/16 FG, 1/6 3PT

PF: Kyle Anderson (30 minutes) – 4 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 2/4 FG

C: Jonas Valanciunas (32 minutes) – 18 points, 18 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 5/8 FG, 8/9 FT

Key Bench Performers

Justise Winslow (21 minutes) – 10 points, 1 rebound, 4 assists, 1 steal, 4/8 FG, 0/3 3PT, 2/3 FT

Brandon Clarke (22 minutes) – 9 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 4/7 FG, 1/4 FT

Tyus Jones (16 minutes) – 9 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 2 steals, 2/2 FG, 2/2 3PT, 3/4 FT

Xavier Tillman Sr. (14 minutes) – 6 points, 4 rebounds, 1 steal, 2/2 FG, 2/4 FT

Utah Jazz (120 points, 42 rebounds, 24 assists, 11 steals, 3 blocks, 42% FG, 36% 3PT, 89% FT)

Starters

PG: Mike Conley (34 minutes) – 29 points, 3 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, 13/18 FG, 3/5 3PT

SG: Donovan Mitchell (32 minutes) – 31 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists, 9/17 FG, 4/7 3PT, 9/11 FT

SF: Bojan Bogdanovic (32 minutes) – 16 points, 1 rebound, 3 assists, 5/15 FG, 3/9 3PT, 3/3 FT

PF: Royce O’Neale (29 minutes) – 17 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 6/9 FG, 4/6 3PT, 1/1 FT

C: Rudy Gobert (33 minutes) – 2 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 3 blocks, 1/5 FG

Key Bench Performers

Joe Ingles (24 minutes) – 6 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1/3 FG, 0/2 3PT, 4/5 FT

Derrick Favors (16 minutes) – 6 points, 11 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals, 2/3 FG, 2/2 FT

NBA 2K21 prediction record before game vs. UTA: 2-3