With extremely high expectations entering the 2026-27 season, the Utah Jazz couldn't have asked for a much worse start. Utah was blown out by the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night, falling 123-103 at FedExForum in a matchup it entered as the favorite. It was a brutal showing for a team that spent the offseason putting together a talented new-look roster, but there's also important context to consider. This group hasn't played many meaningful minutes together, and with so many new pieces in the rotation, some growing pains were always going to be part of the process.
In fact, the Jazz actually got off to a pretty strong start. Utah came out with energy on the offensive end, scoring 31 first-quarter points and carrying a 31-29 lead into the second. It was the next two quarters that really put the game out of reach. Memphis outscored Utah 35-20 in the second period to build a 13-point halftime advantage, then followed it up with a strong third quarter. By the time the fourth arrived, the Grizzlies led 98-79, and Utah wasn't able to put together the type of run it needed to make things interesting again.
Keyonte George was one of the few bright spots for Utah, finishing with a team-high 22 points and five assists. He was efficient throughout the night, shooting 7-of-12 from the floor and 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. Lauri Markkanen added 18 points and nine rebounds, although it was a relatively quiet scoring performance by his standards. He made just four of his 13 attempts from the field, which made it difficult for Utah to lean on its most established offensive option when Memphis began pulling away.
There were still a few interesting individual performances to take away from the loss. Darryn Peterson, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, recorded nine points, four rebounds and three assists in his regular-season debut. It wasn't the superstar breakout that Jazz fans may have hoped for, but it was still a solid first showing. Ace Bailey chipped in 12 points and five rebounds off the bench, while Jaren Jackson Jr. returned to Memphis and finished with 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting. His homecoming was notable, but it didn't translate into a win against his former team.
Ultimately, defense was what really killed the Jazz. Memphis guard Ty Jerome erupted for 45 points on an incredibly efficient 17-of-25 shooting night, including five made 3-pointers. It's hard to recover when an opposing guard produces that type of offensive explosion, particularly when the Jazz were also beaten badly on the glass. Memphis outrebounded Utah 55-38 and collected 15 offensive boards, giving itself far too many extra chances. It's only one game, and the Jazz will have plenty of opportunities to build chemistry and improve. But there's no question Wednesday's performance was a disappointing first impression for a team expecting significantly more this season.