The Portland Trail Blazers (26-29) aim to continue their winning ways against the Utah Jazz (18-37) when the two teams meet at Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Thursday evening. Portland has already secured two victories over Utah this season, and four of their last five matchups overall.
The Trail Blazers are currently 10th in the Western Conference, holding a five-game lead over the Memphis Grizzlies for the final play-in tournament spot. A key driver of Portland’s success has been the emergence of Deni Avdija, who earned his first All-Star selection this season, averaging 25.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game. Donovan Clingan has also shown significant improvement in his second year, contributing 11.5 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game.
Utah, while 13th in the Western Conference, has found some momentum in February, entering Thursday’s game on a two-game winning streak. They recently defeated the Sacramento Kings and Miami Heat after a challenging five-game road trip that included narrow losses to the Toronto Raptors, Atlanta Hawks, and Orlando Magic. Isaiah Collier has stepped up during Keyonte George’s absence, averaging 17.2 points and 13.2 assists over his last five games. Lauri Markkanen and rookie Ace Bailey have also been key contributors for the Jazz.
This contest is expected to be a high-scoring affair. Utah currently ranks last in the league in points allowed and defensive efficiency, while Portland sits 23rd. The teams have combined to score an average of 261 points in their last three meetings, with the winning team scoring at least 133 points in each of those games. Utah has scored at least 115 points in five consecutive games, and Portland has exceeded 122 points in four of their last five outings.
The game is the final contest for both teams before the All-Star break, and both are playing the second night of a back-to-back. The only authorized ticketing outlets for events at Delta Center are DeltaCenter.com, UtahJazz.com, UtahMammoth.com, and SeatGeek.com, and bags are not allowed inside the arena, with limited exceptions for diaper, medical, and minor clutches (4″x6″x2″).