Ty Jerome erupts for career-high 45 as Grizzlies rout Jazz

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ty Jerome drives against Charlotte in a preseason game; archival photo, not the Oct. 21 Jazz game. — Petre Thomas / Imagn Images via Yahoo Sports (archival)

Summary

Memphis beat Utah 123-103 on Oct. 21 in the season opener for both teams.
Ty Jerome scored a career-high 45 points, making 17 of 25 shots and five of 10 3-pointers.
Jerome also recorded seven rebounds and six assists; his 45 points broke Memphis’ season-opener franchise record.

Jerome sets the tone in Memphis

Ty Jerome scored a career-high 45 points as the Memphis Grizzlies beat the Utah Jazz 123-103 on Wednesday, Oct. 21, at FedExForum. The game was the season opener for both teams. The NBA’s official matchup page identifies the Oct. 21 contest, while the league box-score listing credits Jerome with 45 as Memphis won by 20. Reuters and The Associated Press independently reported the same final score and scoring total.^{[1] [2] [3]}

Jerome made 17 of 25 shots from the field, including five of 10 from 3-point range, and finished with seven rebounds and six assists, according to Reuters and AP. His 45-point night surpassed his previous career high of 33, which he scored for Cleveland against Philadelphia in January 2025. The result also set a Memphis mark for most points in a season opener, eclipsing Ja Morant’s 44-point opener in 2020.^{[2] [3] [4]}

Grizzlies build a cushion

Memphis led 64-51 at halftime, then opened the second half with an 18-4 run that pushed its advantage to 82-55. The Grizzlies took a 98-79 lead into the fourth quarter and were ahead by as many as 27 points, Reuters reported. Utah did not get closer than 15 in the final period, according to AP’s game account. The NBA’s official box score records the completed result as 123-103.^{[1] [2] [3]}

Jerome scored 19 points before halftime, including 13 in the opening quarter, as Memphis took control early. Jerami Grant, acquired by the Grizzlies in the offseason, added 15 points. Rookie Cameron Boozer had seven points, 11 rebounds and five assists for Memphis, while going 2-for-15 from the field, AP reported. Those supporting performances helped the Grizzlies maintain a wide margin while Jerome led the scoring.^{[2] [3] [4]}

Utah’s leaders and the next game

Keyonte George led Utah with 22 points, and Lauri Markkanen added 18 points and nine rebounds. Jaren Jackson Jr., who joined the Jazz after being traded from Memphis in February, scored 15 points before fouling out in the fourth quarter. The Jazz also played without center Jusuf Nurkić, who was sidelined by a foot injury, Reuters reported. These game details connect the event-specific searches for the Jazz-Grizzlies result and Jerome’s career-high performance; broader roster queries are not treated as part of this single-game story.^{[2] [3]}

Memphis is scheduled to visit Golden State on Friday, Oct. 23, while Utah is set to host New Orleans that night, AP reported. Jerome’s 45 points are a completed box-score result from the opener, not a forecast of what he or either team will do next.^{[3] [4]}

Reporting sources

This article follows our editorial standards. To report an error, see our corrections policy.