Things got a little heated in Memphis, causing a brief stoppage in play. The Utah Jazz headed to Tennessee to take on the 3rd seeding Grizzlies in the Saturday night challenge. The home side, keeping up to their reputation this season, dominated the game right from the get-go. On the other hand, the visitors had limited response but didn’t hesitate to put up a fight with physicality. However, at one point, things got a little out of hand when Zach Edey stepped into the firing line, leaving Jazz’s Drew Eubanks to risk a lump sum.

Around the 9th minute mark in the second quarter, the Grizzlies held a comfortable 11-point lead, looking to expand in the quarter. At that time, Eubanks, who was heading to a defensive possession in a fast break play, took a pause near the arc and ran his body straight into the Grizzlies rookie center, Edey.

The rookie stood there as a rock and walked forward to confront Drew Eubanks. Before things could get out of hand, the Grizzlies staff and players rushed to stop Zach Edey. The officials immediately took the issue to review and slapped a flagrant foul 2 on Eubanks and ejected him from the game.

Moreover, the Jazz star has the risk of losing $50,000, as the NBA Commissioner Adam Silver can impose a fine and even a suspension on an ejected player under his sole discretion.

Some may feel that ejection was a bit too much for physical play, but a previous play could have influenced the decision. A few plays before Eubanks’ hard shove, Grizzlies’ star Ja Morant and Keyonte George engaged in a heated exchange involving multiple shoulder shoving.

Moreover, Edey and Eubanks invited themselves into the heated affair and almost engaged in a physical altercation until they were separated again. And while he doesn’t show it much, the Purdue alum can be quite a heavy task to handle on the hardwood.

Zach Edey: The low-key beast

The Grizzlies rookie has a calm demeanor, but he is a menace on the paint. Not only that, but he also has a good eye for long-distance shooting. However, I didn’t just call him a low-key beast for his basketball skills, but also for his grit to stand up for himself, no matter who is standing against him.

We are halfway through the regular season and Zach Edey has already engaged in three notable altercations on the court. Leaving the one against Drew Eubanks out, the rookie stood up against vets like Draymond Green and Jonas Valanciunas. Looking at the tussle against the Warriors forward, it was the first instance where Edey showed the world that he wasn’t soft.

During a rebound attempt, Green committed a hard foul on Edey and the big man instantly retaliated, pushing the veteran back and throwing in a few words before his teammates came in to separate him.

Similarly, during the rebound tussle with the Wizards’ center, Valanciunas, Edey shoved the vet, leaving him completely surprised by his action. Nevertheless, Edey has brought his grit to the already aggressive Grizzlies side, making it a lethal side in the postseason. Will Zach Edey go on to become one of the greats? Let us know in the comments.