PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS (10-10) AT UTAH JAZZ (13-7)
Monday, November 29, 6:00 p.m. (Pacific) • Vivint Arena
Salt Lake City, Utah
SERIES HISTORY
ALL TIME: Jazz lead, 106-89
PORTLAND HOME: Trail Blazers lead, 66-31
UTAH HOME: Jazz lead, 75-23
LAST PORTLAND WIN: 105-98, 5/12/21 (Utah)
LAST UTAH WIN: 122-103, 4/8/21 (Utah)
CURRENT WIN STREAK: One (Por.)
SERIES NOTES
• Monday's game is the first of four contests between the Trail Blazers and the Jazz during the 2021-22 season. The teams play next on Dec. 29.
• LAST SEASON: Utah won the season series against Portland last season, 2-1.
• LONG RANGE ATTACKS: The Jazz (14.7 three-pointers per game) and the Trail Blazers (13.8 three-pointers per game) rank third and fifth, respectively, in the league in threes made per contest. Portland is 10th in accuracy (35.6%) while Utah is 11th (35.3%).
• In three games against Utah last season, Damian Lillard averaged 20.7 points (41.5% FG, 25.0% 3-PT, 73.3% FT), 3.7 rebounds and 6.3 assists. Lillard has scored 30-plus points in five of his last seven games against the Jazz.
• CJ McCollum averaged 22.7 points (43.5% FG, 33.3% 3-PT, 85.7% FT), 3.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists in three games against the Jazz last season.
• Jusuf Nurkic played three games against Utah in 2020-21, posting averages of 11.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.67 steals and 1.67 blocks.
• In two games against Portland last season, Donovan Mitchell averaged 28.5 points (48.8% FG, 27.8% 3-PT, 100% FT), 4.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.00 steal.
• Rudy Gobert averaged 17.7 points (74.1% FG, 76.5% FT), 19.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists in three games against the Trail Blazers in 2020-21.
• CONNECTION: Utah center Hassan Whiteside played for the Trail Blazers during the 2019-20 season, averaging 15.5 points (62.1% FG, 68.6% FT), 13.5 rebounds and 2.90 blocks in 67 games (61 starts).
• CONNECTION: Portland forward Larry Nance Jr. and Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson were teammates on the Lakers from 2015-18 and with the Cavaliers from 2018-19.
NEWS AND NOTES
BENCH BUCKETS: Anfernee Simons led the Trail Blazers with 19 points (7-13 FG, 5-10 3-PT), all in the second half, to go with six rebounds, two assists and three steals at Golden State on Nov. 26. Simons is ninth in the NBA in total bench points this season (211) and is ninth in three-pointers made off the bench (38).
THE BOSNIAN BEAST: Jusuf Nurkic had a double-double in the first quarter at Sacramento on Nov. 24, logging 14 points (7-9 FG) and 10 rebounds in the period. He was the first Portland player with a double-double in the first quarter since LaMarcus Aldridge did so on Feb. 1, 2014. Nurkic finished the game with a season-high 28 points (12-17 FG, 4-5 FT) to go with 17 rebounds and five assists.
HOME COOKING: The Trail Blazers have won nine straight games at Moda Center, marking the team's longest home winning streak since February 14 to March 17, 2018 (9 games). Portland is 9-1 through its first 10 home games for the first time since the 2013-14 season.
WESTERN CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Damian Lillard was named the Western Conference Player of the Week for games played from Nov. 15-21. Lillard averaged 28.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, 8.3 assists, 1.00 steal and 1.67 blocks while leading Portland to home wins over Toronto, Chicago and Philadelphia.
DAME DROPPING 20: Damian Lillard scored 32 points (7-18 FG, 3-12 3-PT, 15-16 FT) to go with six rebounds and 10 assists at Sacramento on Nov. 24. It was his ninth straight game with 20-plus points and his 14th game with 20-plus points this season, good for the 11th-most in the NBA.
LAST FIVE GAMES
Game #20 - Golden State 118, Portland 103 — November 26, 2021, Chase Center, San Francisco, California
The Warriors outscored the Trail Blazers in the second quarter, 31-18, to jumpstart a 118-103 victory in San Francisco ... Portland was led by Anfernee Simons, who went scoreless in the first half but finished with 19 points (7-13 FG, 5-10 3-PT), six rebounds, two assists and three steals in 29 minutes off the bench ... Jusuf Nurkic logged 17 points (6-10 FG, 0-2 3-PT, 5-8 FT), four rebounds, three assists and one steal in 24 minutes ... Damian Lillard had 16 points and six assists in 38 minutes ... CJ McCollum added 16 points, seven boards and four assists in 39 minutes ... Norman Powelll scored 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting (1-1 3-PT, 2-2 FT) to go with two rebounds and two assists ... Larry Nance added eight points, six rebounds, three assists and one block in 24 minutes off the bench ... Stephen Curry led Golden State with 32 points (12-25 FG, 6-15 3-PT, 2-3 FT), seven rebounds and eight assists.
Game #19 - Sacramento 125, Portland 121 — November 24, 2021, Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, California
The Kings edged out the Trail Blazers in Sacramento, 125-121, in a game that featured 11 ties, 10 lead change, six technical fouls and two ejections ... Damian Lillard led Portland with 32 points (7-18 FG, 3-12 3-PT, 15-16 FT), six rebounds and 10 assists ... Jusuf Nurkic had a double-double by the time the first quarter ended, recording 14 points (7-9 FG) and 10 rebounds in the period ... Nurkic finished with 28 points (12-17 FG, 4-5 FT), 17 rebounds, five assists and one steal in 32 minutes ... Norman Powell added 22 points (8-16 FG, 5-10 3-PT, 1-2 FT), two rebounds and two steals in 35 minutes ... Nassir Little led Portland's bench with a season-high 16 points (7-10 FG, 2-3 3-PT) to go with three rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block ... The Kings were led by Buddy Hield, who recorded 22 points (6-15 FG, 5-11 3-PT, 5-6 FT) and four rebounds in 30 minutes off the bench.
Game #18 - Portland 119, Denver 100 — November 23, 2021, Moda Center, Portland, Oregon
The Trail Blazers scored 28 fast break points to Denver's two fast break points, outrunning the Nuggets to earn a 119-100 victory at Moda Center ... It was Portland's ninth straight home win ... CJ McCollum scored a game-high 32 points (13-19 FG, 5-9 3-PT, 1-3 FT) to go with three rebounds, three assists and two steals ... Damian Lillard added 25 points (9-13 FG, 5-8 3-PT, 2-2 FT), three rebounds, five assists and one steal ... Norman Powell had 15 points, two rebounds, three assists, three steals and one block ... Robert Covington logged nine points, seven rebounds, two assists, one steal and three blocks ... Anfernee Simons led the Trail Blazers reserves with 14 points, five rebounds and two assists ... Nassir Little chipped in 13 points and five rebounds off the bench ... Jeff Green led Denver with a season-high 24 points (9-16 FG, 3-4 3-PT, 3-3 FT), four rebounds, three assists and three blocks.
Game #17 - Portland 118, Philadelphia 111 — November 20, 2021, Portland, Oregon
The Trail Blazers earned their eighth straight win at Moda Center with a 118-111 victory over Philadelphia ... Damian Lillard led Portland with a season-high 39 points (10-21 FG, 5-13 3-PT, 14-14 FT) to go with seven assists and three blocks ... Lillard scored 12 points in the first quarter and 13 in the final frame ... CJ McCollum added 18 points (7-17 FG, 4-9 3-PT), six rebounds, five assists and one steal ... Jusuf Nurkic logged a double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds to go with three assists, two steals and one block ... Norman Powell scored 17 points, including nine in the third quarter ... Nassir Little had 11 points and four rebounds in 22 minutes off the bench ... Tobias Harris had 28 points (11-21 FG, 2-4 3-PT, 4-5 FT), eight rebounds and three assists ... Tyrese Maxey added 28 points and nine assists with 15 of his points (5-8 FG, 1-2 3-PT, 4-4 FT) coming in the fourth quarter.
Game #16 - Portland 112, Chicago 107 — November 17, 2021, Moda Center, Portland, Oregon
The Bulls led by as many as 20 points, but the Trail Blazers outscored Chicago in the second half, 64-44, to earn a 112-107 victory at Moda Center ... It was the seventh straight home win for Portland ... The Trail Blazers were led by Damian Lillard, who finished with 22 points (6-18 FG, 3-9 3-PT, 7-7 FT), four rebounds, 10 assists, one steal and one block ... With his third free throw, Lillard passed Clyde Drexler for the most free throws made in franchise history ... Jusuf Nurkic had 18 points (8-13 FG, 2-2 FT), 12 rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block ... Norman Powell scored 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting (2-2 3-PT, 4-4 FT) to go with two rebounds, two assists and one steal ... Larry Nance scored 16 points (6-9 FG, 2-3 3-PT, 2-2 FT) to go with nine rebounds, three assists, three steals and one block ... Zach LaVine led Chicago with 30 points (11-20 FG, 7-12 3-PT, 1-2 FT), six rebounds, two assists and one block.
INJURY NOTES
For the Trail Blazers, Norman Powell (right quad; contusion) is out.
For the Jazz, Royce O’Neale (right foot/ankle; sprain) is questionable and Udoka Azubuike (right ankle; injury) is out.
BROADCAST NOTES
Monday’s game can be seen locally on ROOT SPORTS Plus with Kevin Calabro, Lamar Hurd and Brooke Olzendam calling the action. ROOT SPORTS Plus is free for all ROOT SPORTS subscribers, varying by provider. Visit trailblazers.com/watch for more information. On the radio side, Travis Demers, Michael Holton and Jay Allen will have the call on Rip City Radio 620 AM and on all of the stations of the Deschutes Brewery Trail Blazers Radio Network.