Home Esporte Darryn Peterson outduels Cam Boozer in Grizzlies’ summer league loss vs Jazz

Darryn Peterson outduels Cam Boozer in Grizzlies’ summer league loss vs Jazz

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Carolina Menezes
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Darryn Peterson outduels Cam Boozer in Grizzlies’ summer league loss vs Jazz

The Memphis Grizzlies looked like a team capable of rolling through summer league competition after a 37-point victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on July 4.

They faced a tougher challenge against a talented Utah Jazz team on July 6.

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The teams traded the lead throughout the game before Utah used a 9-0 fourth-quarter run to create separation and pull away for a 109-100 victory at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City.

Memphis again was without guard Walter Clayton Jr. and rookie forward Karim Lopez. Both will be reevaluated ahead of the NBA 2K26 Summer League in Las Vegas, which begins July 10 for Memphis.

Forward Taylor Hendricks also sat out after taking a hard fall against Oklahoma City.

Memphis will be back in action on July 7 against the Atlanta Hawks (6 p.m. CT, Grind City Media app).

Here are three takeaways from the loss.

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Grizzlies’ Cam Boozer first press conference at FedExForum with fellow 2026 NBA Draft picks

Grizzlies 2026 draft picks Karim Lopez, Cameron Boozer and Richie Saunders hold up their Memphis Grizzlies jerseys after their inaugural press conference at FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn., on June 25, 2026.

(Chris Day/The Commercial Appeal)

There was plenty of intrigue surrounding the matchup between the No. 2 and No. 3 picks in the 2026 NBA Draft, and both players delivered.

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Utah guard Darryn Peterson proved to be a difficult cover regardless of who Memphis threw at him. Olivier-Maxence Prosper, Javon Small and Cedric Coward all spent time defending Peterson, who finished with 25 points and 12 assists.

Boozer refused to be overshadowed.

After attempting just two shots and scoring five points in the first half, the Grizzlies’ forward became much more aggressive after halftime. He finished with 18 points and seven rebounds.

Following an interior-heavy debut against Oklahoma City, Boozer showcased his perimeter touch by knocking down 4 of 5 from 3-point range against Utah.

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Cedric Coward stays aggressive

One question surrounding Coward during his rookie season was whether he would consistently look for his own offense.

Through two summer league games, he appears intent on answering it.

Coward attacked from the opening tip. After attempting 13 shots against Oklahoma City, he put up 12 in the first half alone against Utah. The efficiency improved as well. After making just three field goals in the opener, he converted seven before halftime against the Jazz.

He finished with 23 points on 9-of-21 shooting in 28 minutes.

Coward displayed the full offensive package, scoring at all three levels while playing with confidence. Maintaining that aggressive mindset will be an important point of emphasis moving forward.

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Bench depth tested

Memphis entered summer league with one of its deepest rosters on paper, but injuries quickly tested that depth. Despite productive performances from Boozer and Coward, the Grizzlies were missing Lopez, Clayton and Hendricks.

The starting lineup still produced balanced scoring. Prosper finished with 16 points, Small added 14 and rookie center Carson Cooper, who started in place of Hendricks, scored 10.

The difference came in the reserve units, where Utah outscored Memphis 40-19.

Damichael Cole is the Memphis Grizzlies beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Damichael at damichael.cole@commercialappeal.com. Follow Damichael on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DamichaelC.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Darryn Peterson outduels Cam Boozer in Grizzlies’ summer league loss vs Jazz

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