MEMPHIS, Tennessee — The Utah Jazz have put themselves in position to help erase a very bad memory from last year's Florida bubble.
Donovan Mitchell scored 30 points, and the top-seeded Jazz grabbed a 3-1 lead Monday night by holding off the Memphis Grizzlies 120-113.
That's the same lead the Jazz blew in losing their first-round series in seven games to Denver in the bubble. This time around, the team with the NBA's best record in the regular season is going home trying to close out this first round, best-of-seven series on Wednesday night in Salt Lake City.
“We obviously remember that feeling that we had last season, and it's not something we want to experience again,” Jazz guard Mike Conley said.
This is a different Utah team with Bojan Bogdanovic available and Derrick Favors back on the bench. Conley also is more comfortable in his second season.
“We'll hopefully be able to get our minds focused on business and not let this one slip away like we did last year,” Conley said.
Mitchell said another difference is the Jazz aren't satisfied being up 3-1.
“We have to go there and take care of homecourt back in Utah, and I think that’s where our head is at,” Mitchell said.
All-Star Rudy Gobert scored 13 of his 17 points in the third quarter. Jordan Clarkson, the NBA’s 6th man of the year winner, scored 24. Bogdanovic added 13, Conley had 11.
Ja Morant, who averaged 33.7 points through the first three games, scored 23 and had 12 assists for Memphis. Dillon Brooks and Jaren Jackson Jr. each added 21, De'Anthony Melton had all 15 of his points in the fourth quarter and Jonas Valanciunas finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds.