Grizzlies hold off the Jazz 110-105 to go 4-0 as Markkanen and Jackson Jr. leave hurt

Cedric Coward had 16 points and 11 rebounds, and the Memphis Grizzlies held off the Utah Jazz 110-105 on Monday night in Salt Lake City to stay unbeaten at 4-0.

It was the second time in four games that Memphis beat Utah. The Jazz dropped to 1-3.

Utah lost two of its top scorers early. Lauri Markkanen played six minutes and Jaren Jackson Jr. played 10 before both were hurt in the first half, and neither returned. ESPN listed Markkanen day-to-day with a wrist injury and Jackson day-to-day with a knee injury.

Memphis led 58-52 at the half and pulled away late in the third quarter. Quinten Post, Cam Spencer and Coward hit 3-pointers on three straight trips to make it 87-71, and the Grizzlies took an 89-76 lead into the fourth.

Utah won the fourth quarter 29-21 and nearly stole it. A 15-3 run cut it to 102-101 when Keyonte George converted a three-point play with 3:37 left. Ty Jerome answered with back-to-back baskets, and after a Mo Bamba dunk made it a one-point game again with 1:01 to go, Jaylen Wells and Jerome made their free throws to close it out.

Jerome came in leading the NBA in scoring after his 45-point night against Utah in the opener. The Jazz held him to 15 points on 4-of-15 shooting, though he had eight assists and made the plays that mattered at the end. Coward went 4 for 4 from 3-point range. Wells scored 14, Cameron Boozer and Jerami Grant had 13 each, and Post scored 12 in 12 minutes on 5-of-6 shooting. Memphis made 16 of 37 threes and 20 of 22 free throws.

George led Utah with 26 points and six assists, going 8 of 9 at the line. Ace Bailey had 17 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks. Darryn Peterson scored 14 but needed 18 shots. Bamba, in his season debut, had 14 points, seven rebounds and four blocks on 7-of-8 shooting. The Jazz shot 10 of 33 from deep but outrebounded Memphis on the offensive glass, according to ESPN's box score, which credited Utah with 14 offensive rebounds to the Grizzlies' six.

What's next: The Grizzlies play at Portland on Thursday night. The Jazz host San Antonio on Wednesday, and the status of Markkanen and Jackson is the thing to watch before then.