The Portland Trail Blazers will look to keep momentum they gained in a win over the Utah Jazz a week and a half ago when the two teams face each other again in Salt Lake City on Saturday night.
Snapping an eight-game losing streak against the Jazz on Nov. 22, the Blazers began a streak of three wins in four games, including impressive victories over the Indiana Pacers and Cleveland Cavaliers.
Jerami Grant scored 30 points, Malcolm Brogdon contributed 20 points and eight assists, and Jabari Walker fired in a career-high 19 points with 10 rebounds in that dominating 121-105 home win for Portland against Utah.
“We went on that losing streak, so I guess our heads went down a little bit,” Walker said after that first meeting.
“You could just tell the energy wasn’t the same. We kind of lost track of what good basketball looked like. We just came in the morning for the game and we played highlights, good defense, and what it looks like.”
Following that slump-buster, the Blazers went 2-1 on the road, with a close loss at Milwaukee followed by those wins over the Pacers (114-110) and the Cavaliers (103-95).
Shaedon Sharpe led Portland with 29 points against Cleveland, including 11-for-15 shooting and 10 rebounds, in the win that left some Cavs fans booing.
Sharpe scored 10 fourth-quarter points as the Blazers extended their lead. That included a big layup for an eight-point advantage with 1:33 remaining.
“Shaedon was special tonight and everyone else chipped in,” Blazers coach Chauncey Billups said. “He made big shots and got some grown-man rebounds. I got on him at halftime because he was playing like … summertime, playing pickup basketball.”
The Jazz have had some highs and lows since getting blown out by Portland. Following that game, Utah coach Will Hardy challenged his players to “play hard and pass,” letting them know that roster changes would happen if merited.
Utah responded with back-to-back home wins over New Orleans – 105-100 on Saturday and 114-112 on Monday – but then got thumped on the road by Memphis (105-91) and Minnesota (101-90). Leading scorer Lauri Markkanen missed both games with a hamstring injury.
“We beat New Orleans by a combined seven points and we’re the greatest thing ever,” Hardy said. “And then we lost in Memphis and it’s like the world’s ending, and neither one’s true.”
The Jazz were limited to 37.9 percent shooting against former teammate Rudy Gobert and the Timberwolves. It was their second game in a row scoring in the low 90s. Simone Fontecchio had a team-high 16 points, while Ochai Agbaji scored 13.
“Tonight, we really ultimately just struggled to put the ball in the basket,” Hardy said following Thursday’s loss. “Minnesota is one of the best defensive teams in the league for a reason. … They did a really good job of being disruptive tonight.”
Utah won the first game against Portland this season at home, 115-99, on Nov. 14.
The two teams tangle again Dec. 14 in Portland.
–Field Level Media