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Memphis, Tenn. • They needed a rebound.
After suffering four straight defeats, the Utah Jazz needed a bounce-back game, a win to avoid their longest losing streak of the season and to inch them back toward playoff position. But to get their shot against the Grizzlies on Friday night, they needed a rebound.
And they couldn't get it.
"We've got to get those rebounds," Jazz center Rudy Gobert said, sitting at his locker after the 94-88 loss. "We've got to get those possessions that matter most."
The Jazz (28-33) will be bothered by plenty after their latest defeat: They were outscored by 19 points in the second quarter and 11 in the fourth; they committed 17 turnovers; and they missed 10 free throws. But despite all of that, they still had a chance at stealing a precious road win — they just couldn't quite grab it.
Trailing by two points with under a minute to play at FedExForum, the Jazz buckled down on defense, forcing Memphis forward Matt Barnes to airball a 3-point attempt. A rebound would have sent the Jazz running toward their own basket in a one-possession game. Instead, Memphis' Zach Randolph beat the Jazz to the ball.
With the extra possession, the Grizzlies got another look from beyond the arc — and another miss. Jazz guards Shelvin Mack and Rodney Hood both got their hands on it, but Randolph again came away with the basketball.
Now the Jazz are streaking the wrong way. They have lost five games in a row for the first time all season. And after Friday's defeat, they're a full two games back of the Houston Rockets for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West.
"It's hard," Jazz coach Quin Snyder said. "Our guys are hurting."
And they're still searching for the path back to playoff position.
"It's something we've just got to figure out or else we're going to be looking at going home early," said Jazz forward Gordon Hayward, who had a team-high 18 points. "So we have to figure this out."
Friday night started well enough for the Jazz. Rookie Trey Lyles, who has become the first big man off Snyder's bench on this road trip, knocked down his first three looks, including a 3-pointer to put the Jazz up 24-10.
But Memphis got a push from new addition Lance Stephenson and the old standby Randolph. After Randolph powered his way to the bucket to tie the game at 36 late in the second quarter, the Grizzlies went on a 13-3 run over the final 3:25 of the half. Randolph finished with a game-high 25 points and eight rebounds for a Grizzlies team that is suddenly thriving despite a season-ending injury to all-star center Marc Gasol.
"It's very frustrating," Hayward said. "Especially when we seem to come out pretty strong in these games. "It's another game we have a double-digit lead and we let it slip away and now we are in a ballgame. On the road, it's going to be tough against teams, so we just can't have those lapses. I think everyone is frustrated."
Trailing by 10 at the break, the Jazz found their way back into the game and actually led by five to start the fourth quarter. But the Jazz went scoreless for nearly four minutes to start the period as Memphis took back control of the game.
"They jump us. They attack us. They bully us and we back down," said Gobert, who had 13 points and 18 rebounds. "… We've just got to stay consistent."
The Jazz trailed by eight after Randolph hit what looked like a dagger 3 with three and a half minutes to play in the game. Utah's comeback effort from there ended with Randolph's two killer offensive rebounds.
Derrick Favors had 14 points and three rebounds on the night. Shelvin Mack scored 12 points and dished eight assists. And the rookie Lyles had nine points off the bench.
For the Grizzlies, Stephenson had 16 points and five rebounds off the bench. Memphis point guard Mike Conley had 12 points on 4-of-13 shooting.
The loss was yet another heartbreaker for the Jazz, who are now 12-22 in games that are within five points with five minutes to play. If these are the growing pains of a young team, the Jazz hope they'll do some growing up — and quickly — as they wrap up their four-game road trip Saturday night in New Orleans
"I just think we have to come into tomorrow desperate," forward Trevor Booker said. "We need a win bad. That should be in everybody's head."
Twitter: @tribjazz —
Storylines
R The Grizzlies trail 26-12 with 1:18 left in the first quarter and go on a 22-6 run that stretches past the midway point of the second period.
• The Jazz are outscored by 30 points in the second and fourth quarters combined.
Jazz at Pelicans
P Saturday, 5 p.m. MST
TV • ROOT Sports