NBA Preseason: Utah Jazz (1-0) at Portland Trail Blazers (0-2) Game Thread

NBA Preseason 2013-2014, Game 2:

Utah Jazz (1-0) at Portland Trail Blazers (0-2)

Blazers Edge (SB Nation) -- Behind Enemy Lines (MyLo) -- Preview (Amar) -- Game Thread (Amar)

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The Basics:

The Jazz play in Boise, Idaho to a "road" crowd looking for their second win of the preseason. The Blazers are still looking for their first. Portland's two losses were most likely products of sitting out a number of rotation players more than anything else. It will be interesting to see if their head coach Terry Stotts will play more of a normative rotation tonight. On the other side of things, I predict that Jazz head coach Tyrone Corbin will mix things up a little more and try to get longer looks at some of the players that were brought into training camp.

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Starting Lineups:

• Point Guard: Trey Burke vs. Damian Lillard
  
• Shooting Guard: Alec Burks vs. Wesley Matthews
  
• Small Forward: Gordon Hayward vs. Nicolas Batum
  
• Power Forward: Jeremy Evans vs. LaMarcus Aldridge
  
• Center: Derrick Favors vs. Robin Lopez

Bill Oram reports:

Richard Jefferson a no go tonight for jazz per coach Ty Corbin. Jeremy Evans, Alec Burks to start

— Bill Oram (@bill_oram) October 11, 2013

It’s just rest for Jefferson. He’ll likely play tomorrow. Lucas could rest tomorrow. Kanter comes off the bench tonight.

— Bill Oram (@bill_oram) October 11, 2013

This is Bill's last night on the Jazz beat for now, so we wish him well! Also that Portland lineup is just totally made up. I don't actually know. No Richard Jefferson for us tonight. Maybe no John Lucas III tomorrow. Yikes.

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Advantage:

Jazz, because, well, I'm not really going to be a negative nancy this year. Evans will have his hands full against Aldridge, but let's not call him out of the fight. Evans has the physical abilities to be a problem for anyone on offense or defense.