The Utah Jazz (11-6, 5-5 Away), one of the league’s top scoring teams, travel to face the Portland Trail Blazers (10-5, 4-3 Home) on Saturday. Utah is playing the second of a back-to-back after squeaking by the Phoenix Suns 134-133 at Vivint Arena yesterday. Lauri Markkanen was a top performer with 38 points.
The Jazz are one game back in the Western Conference, currently sitting in third. Portland dropped a close one on Thursday at Moda Center at the Rose Quarter, falling to the Brooklyn Nets 109-107. Damian Lillard had 25 points and 11 assists in the loss to lead the team. The Trail Blazers are the first seed in the Western Conference, one game ahead of the Denver Nuggets.
The teams are meeting for the first time this season. Utah swept all four matchups between the teams last season, the last of which was a 111-80 triumph at Moda Center at the Rose Quarter on April 10, their fourth straight head-to-head victory. Juancho Hernangomez led the Jazz with 22 points and eight rebounds.
Reggie Perry had 20 points and five assists in the loss. The Jazz have been led this season by Markkanen, who is averaging 22.2 points per game, best in the NBA.
Meanwhile, Jarred Vanderbilt is grabbing 8.5 rebounds per game, most in the NBA, and Mike Conley is dishing 8.2 assists (1st).Anfernee Simons (22.5 ppg) and Jerami Grant (20.1) have supplied much of the Blazers’ offense. Simons leads the NBA in scoring, while Grant is first.
Jusuf Nurkic is pulling down 10.4 rebounds per game, most in the league, and Josh Hart is distributing 4.3 assists (1st).The Jazz are one of the top scoring offenses in the NBA, ranking third with 117.6 points per game. The teams have split their last 10 meetings at Moda Center at the Rose Quarter (5-5).
Meanwhile, the Jazz are 2-2 this season when playing on consecutive nights and 1-1 in such games against rested opponents. The Trail Blazers are 1-0 with a rest advantage.
In the last 10 games, Utah is 6-4 with an average margin of +4.2 (118.0-113.8). Portland has also a 6-4 record over the last 10, scoring 107.8 points per game on average while holding opponents to 106.3 (+1.5 margin).
JAZZ HOT/COLD
(Last Five | Season Average | Differential)
Points + Rebounds + Assists:
Malik Beasley: 24.6 | 17.8 | +6.8
Points per game:
Malik Beasley: 18.6 | 13.2 | +5.4
Assists per game:
Jordan Clarkson: 3.4 | 4.6 | -1.2
TRAIL BLAZERS HOT/COLD
(Last Five | Season Average | Differential)
Points + Rebounds + Assists:
Drew Eubanks: 15.6 | 10.5 | +5.1
Points per game:
Shaedon Sharpe: 13.8 | 10.1 | +3.7
Rebounds per game:
Jerami Grant: 6.8 | 4.9 | +1.8
Jusuf Nurkic: 6.5 | 10.4 | -3.9
Assists per game:
Damian Lillard: 10.3 | 7.0 | +3.3
Josh Hart: 2.8 | 4.3 | -1.5
SportsTips’ NBA Pick:
Utah Jazz (+140)
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*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of BetMGM.
