John Collins tallied 20 points, Keyonte George contributed 17, and the Utah Jazz put an end to their five-game losing streak with a commanding 141-99 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday evening.
Walker Kessler recorded 13 points, 17 rebounds, and five blocks for the Jazz in what marked only their fifth win of the season.
Jerami Grant scored 19 points for the Trail Blazers, who have now lost three consecutive games. The Blazers fell behind by 46 points, prompting boos from the fanbase at home.
The Jazz quickly jumped out to a 38-20 advantage. Portland suffered an early blow when Toumani Camara left the game limping due to a right foot injury and did not return.
By halftime, the Jazz were ahead 67-44 and extended their lead to 30 points at 76-46 in the third quarter. All of Utah’s starting players had reached double figures by that point.
Takeaways
Jazz: Forward Lauri Markkanen was unexpectedly sidelined due to lower back injury management. He had previously missed three games in the season due to the same concern. Svi Mykhailiuk took his spot in the starting lineup.
Trail Blazers: Portland played without Scoot Henderson for the fifth consecutive game due to a left quad contusion. Rookie Donovan Clingan is dealing with a sprained left knee.
Key Moment
Collin Sexton assisted Collins for a dunk that increased the Jazz’s lead to 90-59 in the third quarter, energizing the bench. Shaedon Sharpe executed a spectacular dunk in the first half as the Blazers attempted to close the gap.
Key Stat
Blazers guard Anfernee Simons became the fourth player in franchise history to achieve over 800 three-pointers, joining the ranks of Damian Lillard, CJ McCollum, and Wesley Matthews. Overall, the Trail Blazers struggled with their shooting from beyond the arc, hitting only 14 of 47 attempts.
Up Next
Both teams will compete again on Sunday night. The Jazz will face the Kings, while the Trail Blazers will take on the Los Angeles Lakers.
