NBA Updates: Markkanen and Utah Jazz beat Blazers for solo spot in West
After Markkanen’s 38 points to lift Jazz past Suns, he followed it with a double-double to beat Blazers. Follow for more NBA updates here!
The Filipino-American Jordan Clarkson led the way for the Utah Jazz as he scored 28 points, 15 points in the fourth quarter to spoil the furious comeback of Blazers with the score of 118-113. The post-Mitchell era of Utah Jazz continued to surprise the basketball world as they moved to a 12-6 record and currently on their second game winning streak, and currently being the best NBA team in the Western conference.
However, in the match against Blazers, the team lost their first-option guard Mike Conley as he suffered a knee injury in the third quarter that led to an erasure of the 19-point second half lead. But the superhero is here, as Jordan Clarkson appears in the fourth quarter, when Utah needed him most as he scored 15 points to toppled the Portland Trail Blazers 118-113.
“This game was very representative of our team this year,” Utah coach Will Hardy said. “We couldn’t make a shot early… The Blazers made their run late, and we responded. We had a lot of big plays made by a lot of people [players].”
Malik Beasley led the scoring for the Jazz with a season-high 29 points – he shot 10 of 18 from the field and 6 for 14 beyond the arc.
Blazers lose Lillard to an injury during 118-113 lost over Jazz
The Portland Trail Blazers suffered two losses this week as they slid through the third spot in the Western conference after a tight 118-113 defeat over the current top West team Utah Jazz.
As they lose the home game, they also lose their franchise player Damian Lillard — as the guard left the game in the third quarter with right calf tightness and he did not return. The Blazers will be having a tough assignment on Monday against Milwaukee Bucks (11-4). Damian Lillard did not suffer an injury but also dealt with off-shooting night as he recorded 2-of-14 shooting and scored 13 points and seven assists. The Utah Jazz made an impressive defense to give the Blazers 17 turnovers which they converted into 26 points.
“That’s something we’ve got to keep an eye on but I thought our ball movement was pretty good,” Coach Billups said. The Blazers primary center Jusuf Nurkic led the Blazers with an output of 18 points and 10 rebounds with Anfernee Simons’ all-around performance of 16 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists.
“Tonight, I thought we competed, we just didn’t make shots,” Lillard said in an interview. “We got a lot of shots that we always get, we just didn’t make them.”
“We didn’t start the game with a lot of energy,” Simons emphasized. “They are obviously a well-coached team and they’ve been playing very well, as well. So, they were going to come in disciplined and hungry to get the No.1 seed and I think we didn’t match their intensity early on.”
The Utah Jazz coming off from a big win against the Phoenix Suns 134-133 while the Blazers was on a rocky column as they lost three of their last four games and will start the Monday with a tough matchups without their primary option Damian Lillard including the Milwaukee Bucks.
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