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The Utah Jazz (35-37) can’t make up their mind and lose to the Portland Trail Blazers (32-40) 127-115



[box score](https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401469246)

by 16patterjo

17 Comments

  1. JoeIngles

    GAME NOTES:

    Lauri Markkanen. Dude put his body on the line over and over again to try to get a win this game. 40 points, 12 rebounds, and only missed one shot from inside the arc. 4-12 from 3, he just needed some help tonight and this is a victory.

    That first quarter was a lot of fun. So many lobs! KO-Kessler, Lauri-Kessler, and JTA-Lauri for the most impressive one. We were defending good, and put up 34 that opening quarter.

    The second quarter was completely different. We were getting cooked by everybody, and we couldn’t score a bucket. At half time, Lauri had 23, and I don’t think anybody else had more than 6.

    In the third, we flipped the script. We were defending well, especially with Dame out. Our 2-3 zone was back to working, and Kris Dunn started to get in a rhythym. THT had 6 assists alone that quarter.

    The fourth quarter was a lot like the second. Our bench unit struggled to put points up, and although we pulled within 5, Dame came back in and picked apart our 2-3 zone. Our zone has usually been pretty good, especially as of late, but with a very skilled passer and ball handler in Dame, he was able to get what he wanted from it.

    Dunn didn’t have a good first half, going 1-4, but turned it on in the second half. 4-7, He finished with 15 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists. His defense was pretty sharp as usual.

    THT’s best quarter was that 3rd quarter, where he put up 6 assists with 0 turnovers. He finished with 11 points, 7 assists, and 4 rebounds with 2 turnovers. He was pretty much a nonfactor that fourth quarter in terms of facilitating.

    Klynyk had a double-double, 12 points 10 rebounds, but wasn’t shooting well. 2-8, but was 8-8 from the line. He did have 4 turnovers though.

    Agbaji with a good 7-3-3 game, but wasn’t as aggressive as I would’ve liked offensively. He was deflecting passes and was good defensively, but I would’ve liked to have seen him continue his hot streak .

    Kessler was a non factor, which is crazy considering he had 8 points, 5 rebounds, 3 blocks. Nurkic just ate him alive, and Portland did a great job keeping him off the boards with Nurk and Watford. Our centers just didn’t seem to be able to do much tonight.

    Fontecchio, Gay, and Juzang combined for 5-14 shooting, 4-9 from 3. They didn’t do much.

    Jarrell Brantley played today!

    Azubuike got backup C minutes over Jones after his great showing against Sacramento, but didn’t look as good tonight. 6 points, 2 rebounds, 2 blocks, 2 turnovers, 4 fouls in 14 minutes. He just looked disconnected.

    Overall a pretty disappointing game. Great first and third quarters, but we couldn’t get it done with Dame on the bench the last half. I don’t know what was up defensively, like I said before that 2-3 zone is usually pretty strong, but tons of miscommunication tonight leading to open shots at the rim and the 3pt line for the Blazers. It worked in keeping Dame semi-roped down, but Watford, Nurk, and Sharpe stepped up big in hitting those open shots.

    Sharpe, Lillard, Nurk, and Watford combined for 95 points, just a well rounded game by the Blazers, and one where we couldn’t figure out what to do for the full 48 minutes.

    Lauri was incredible once again. Playing with a hurt hand, and getting mobbed at any chance the Blazers could get, and he still dropped 40 and 12. His 3rd 40 point game of his career, which also coincides with his 3rd of the season. I’m a Lauri Lover

    35-37 bitches. I’M SO EXCITED FOR JINGLIN JOE TO BE BACK, EVEN IF IT’S AGAINST US

  2. thehelpfulcamel

    Schrodinger’s Jazz: This team is simultaneously contending for the playoffs and tanking until they’re observed.

  3. FERFreak731

    I’m a tanking fan again for the 500th time this season

  4. trwolf18

    Maybe this is kinda corny, but even in a loss like this, I’m still unbelievably excited and hopeful for this teams future.

  5. Cherish the rest of the regular season, Jazz fans, because a play-in spot is looking really tough with the remainder of our schedule.

  6. lopodo777

    Bucks game decides my side for the rest of the season

  7. They draw me into actually caring about wins, not just playing well. And then they do this bs. It was pretty terrible all around (except Lauri), especially at the defensive end. For all his “intelligence” as a player, KO has huge ups/downs, and today was a serious down, awful.

  8. DrJOxford

    I am sure we will beat the bucks and then get crushed by San Antonio

  9. Lumpy_Journalist8274

    I have been back and fort between tank team and playoff team every game.

  10. mrcolty5

    look I hate being a ref complainer but this whole season has been a fucking joke. Not saying we win this game with better calls (we wouldn’t) but the amount of shit Portland got away with that we couldn’t is incredible. It wasn’t until the last few minutes they started giving us freebies for no reason

    Ochai getting hammered at the rim, Markkanen only getting a flagrant one, and the 100 times where Portland falls over and it’s a foul are just a few examples of it

  11. IntestinalEndorphins

    Last time they ahead of lakers for rest of year.

  12. coolguysteve21

    We all know if the 10th spot comes down to LA or the Jazz we all know who the league is picking….

  13. exmomo420

    Let’s be honest, Portland needed this win more than Jazz did

  14. Caspar_Friedrich02

    The tank is on for real this time

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