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Grizzly Grades: Grading the Season-Opening Rout of the Jazz

A record night, a rocky rookie debut and a Memphis team that looked every bit as advertised.

Oct 21, 2026; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaylen Wells (0) shoots against Utah Jazz guard Darryn Peterson (22) during the first quarter at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

After months of film study, lineup battles and preseason buzz, it is finally time for the first Grizzlies grades of the season as Memphis opened with a 123-103 win over the Jazz on Wednesday at FedExForum.


Here is how everyone graded out.


1. Ty Jerome — A+


Jerome set the Grizzlies' franchise record for points in a season opener, finishing with 45 on 17-of-25 shooting, including 5-of-10 from three.


He scored to open all four quarters, closing the third with a layup to reach 29 before opening the fourth with another three.


From there he kept pulling away, hitting 6 of 7 free throws, including the pair that got him to 45 as the FedExForum crowd chanted "MVP."


Add seven rebounds, six assists, one turnover and a plus-22, and there is no other grade to give.


2. Jaylen Wells — A-


Wells put together a strong two-way night, scoring 12 points on 5-of-10 shooting with five rebounds and a team-high four steals, all without a turnover.


He got going with a fast-break feed from Pippen Jr., then found a rhythm in the third quarter with a pull-up jumper and a few leak-out dunks.


His defense turned up late, drawing a charge and helping force a shot clock violation, before he closed the game with a three that pushed the lead to 20.


3. Jerami Grant — B+


Grant was Memphis' top scorer off the bench, going 4-of-9 for 15 points, including 2-of-4 from three and 5-of-6 from the line.


He tried to do too much at times, which led to a handful of turnovers, but his hustle made up for it elsewhere, diving for loose balls and tying up a jump ball with 2:37 left.


That kind of scoring punch is exactly what Memphis needs from him in his current role, but do not be surprised if Grant gets a chance to start at some point this year.


4. Zach Edey — B


Edey did not need a big role to make his mark, going 3-of-5 for six points with nine rebounds and two blocks in just 21 minutes.


He set the tone early, blocking Keyonte George in the first quarter, then later threw down a putback dunk off a missed Boozer drive.


That is the kind of efficient floor time Memphis needs from its center nightly, though I would like to see him get more chances to score given his track record as a two-time national player of the year.


5. Cedric Coward — B


Coward was quietly efficient, finishing 3-of-6 for seven points with seven rebounds and two assists.


Defensively, he held his own early, but two fouls in the first quarter limited his aggressiveness.


Foul trouble caught up with him again in the third, when he struggled to contain Ace Bailey in the post while playing through four fouls, though he answered a few possessions later with a block on Bailey.


His fifth foul came with 8:33 left in the fourth and capped his aggressiveness there; I expect his impact on both ends to improve once he gets the fouls under control.


6. Quinten Post — B-


Post made the most of his 19 minutes offensively, going 3-of-4 from the field for seven points, including a corner three, but it came at a cost on the other end.


He got picked on early by Jaxson Hayes and Jaren Jackson Jr., giving up a few easy buckets and four fouls, including one on Hayes to stop a posterization attempt.


Post finished at minus-7, but he proved he can be an efficient scorer off the bench when needed; his defense is the only reason his grade is not higher.


7. GG Jackson — B-


Jackson flashed exactly what Memphis hopes to see from him as a potential three-and-D scorer, finishing with 12 points on 4-of-8 shooting, including 2-of-2 from three, to go with eight rebounds and two blocks in just 19 minutes.


He had a layup-saving block and a corner three in the first half, showing the two-way upside Memphis wants from him.


But four turnovers hurt his overall performance, and he finished at a team-high minus-8.


If Jackson can cut down on the turnovers, this could be the breakout season the Grizzlies have wanted since his stat-filled rookie year.


8. Cameron Boozer — C+


Boozer's NBA debut was a rough shooting night, just seven points on 2-of-15 from the field and 0-of-6 from three, but the rest of his line told a different story.


The No. 3 pick grabbed 11 rebounds, dished five assists and turned it over just once, finishing a team-high plus-32 and getting the FedExForum crowd on its feet with a third-quarter jam on Jaren Jackson Jr.

He missed a spinning post move on fellow rookie Darryn Peterson late, but a debut with that much rebounding and playmaking is a positive sign for a rookie learning the pace of the NBA.


9. Scotty Pippen Jr. — C+


Pippen Jr. struggled to find his shot, going 2-of-7 overall and 0-of-3 from three for nine points, most of it from the line.


He made his presence felt elsewhere, with five assists, three steals and the feed that set up Boozer's first NBA basket.


A careless turnover on a pass to Grant did not help, and he finished at minus-3, but the playmaking kept him productive even in an off shooting night.


10. Cam Spencer — C


Spencer did not get going in his 16 minutes until his first three in the third quarter.


He finished 1-of-4 from the field for three points, hitting his only three-point attempt, with three rebounds, two assists and a steal.


His defense needs more work than his offense right now; he got caught out of position a few times trying to stay in front of Utah's guards and finished at minus-2.


In Closing


After trailing by two at the end of the first quarter, Memphis outscored Utah 94-72 over the final three quarters to improve to 1-0.


Jerome's 45-point performance stole the show, while Boozer's rebounding and playmaking gets fans excited, and Wells' two-way impact were some of the many positives in the season opener.

The Grizzlies get a quick turnaround before heading to Golden State on Friday, where a new set of grades will be waiting.

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