Utah Jazz at Portland Trail Blazers Game Thread

The Utah Jazz get their fourth crack at the Portland Trail Blazers this season, and this game is really important. Utah has dropped two of the first three, including one at home, in this tight season series. Why is this series important? It's important because the head to head record is one of the most important tie-breakers when you look at playoff seeding. And right now both teams are separated by just 0.5 games in the West, and are battling it out for the 2nd place finish in the division. If Utah wants to finish ahead of Portland it would be prudent if they show up tonight and win.

• Road Team (UTA) @ Home Team (POR)
• PPG: 97.9 (26th) @ 103.1 (8th)
  Opp. PPG: 96.5 (2nd) @ 102.0 (17th)
  Pace: 90.8 (30th) @ 95.3 (18th)
  ORTG: 106.2 (10th) @ 107.6 (7th)
  DRTG: 104.7 (14th) @ 106.4 (18th)

Utah likes it nice and slow. Portland likes to score. Control the glass, control the pace, control the game.

Starters:

• PG: Raul Neto @ Damian Lillard
  
• SG: Rodney Hood @ C.J. McCollum
  
• SF: Gordon Hayward @ Al-Farouq Aminu
  
• PF: Derrick Favors @ Noah Vonleh
  
• C: Rudy Gobert @ Mason Plumlee

Key Bench:

• Trey Burke -- Allen Crabbe
• Trevor Booker -- Ed Davis
• Jeff Withey -- Meyers Leonard
• Joe Ingles -- Gerald Henderson
• Chris Jonson -- Maurice Harkless

Injuries / Absences:

• Dante Exum (PG/SG, UTA) -- OUT, rehab
• Alec Burks (SG/PG, UTA) -- OUT, rehab
• Tibor Pleiss (C, UTA) -- Assigned to the NBA DL
• No one (--, POR)

GO JAZZ GO!