The Blazers were led by their two returning players, Wesley Matthews (23 points) and Damian Lillard (17, 5 and 5). Meyers Leonard (12 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists) continued to show promise, as did Eric Maynor (10 points, 8 assists). Also, Victor Claver had a nice night off the bench with a career-high 12 points, plus 5 rebounds and 2 assists.
First Half: Not much to write about. Thanks to their superior inside offense, the Jazz got any shot they wanted. But really, neither team seemed to have interest in playing strong defense. The Blazers played some bombs-away from outside, including two from Claver. Utah pulled ahead by double digits, but they just couldn't pull away, as the Blazers hit enough shots to stay close, despite plentiful turnovers and a low energy level. The Blazers cut the deficit to one late, but Utah quickly opened it back up by the horn. Score: Jazz 56, Blazers 49.
At least I got to witness Lillard break the rookie record [for three-pointers]
by JP503
Third Quarter: More of the same. Utah used their inside advantage to stay ahead throughout the quarter, but the Blazers hit timely shots to stay close. Unfortunately, their repeated turnovers were betraying their hard work. Another late Utah run put the Blazers on their heels, and put the game in danger of being out of reach. Score: Jazz 87, Blazers 74.
I know this game is pretty much over, but I'd still like to see us actually keep them from scoring in the paint. Just for one possession.
by Roy Wonder
Fourth Quarter: I dared to work on this recap. By the time I looked up, the score was 93-75. It involved a lot of easy buckets. Not for the Blazers, obviously. The game was never within reach again, and at one point, the Blazers trotted out the all-rookie lineup for some entertainment.
Box score | Portland Trail Blazers tickets via TiqIQ
Stay tuned for more analysis from Blazer’s Edge later tonight. In the meantime, check out the upcoming Blazers schedule. -- Tim