It may have taken until the final game of the regular season, but the Utah Jazz are precisely where they belong. They are the champions of the Northwest Division — AGAIN.
Despite playing shorthanded as starters Donovan Mitchell and Bojan Bogdanović were on the bench in street clothes, Utah dominated the second half en route to a 111-80 victory over the Portland Trailblazers on Friday night.
With the win, the Jazz have secured the No. 5 seed in the upcoming postseason, set to face off with Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks next weekend.
"We're healthy now, and we haven't had that in a couple of years," head coach Quin Snyder said postgame. "I don't know that there's a preference in any way, shape, or form. But as far as Dallas, specifically, they're formidable. … We have tons of respect for their program."
On a night where the result was seldom in doubt, it was one of Utah's newest additions who shined brightest.
Often viewed as a throw-in during a midseason trade that sent Joe Ingles to Portland and brought Nickeil Alexander-Walker to Utah, Juancho Hernangomez has proved to be much more than that. Now relied upon in Snyder's rotation, especially in critical situations and matchups, he was phenomenal Sunday night.
Hernangomez finished with a game-high 22 points, eight rebounds, and two assists. He was also efficient, shooting 8-of-14 from the floor and 4-for-7 from beyond the arc. More than just stuffing the stat sheet, Hernangomez provides Utah some much-needed length, size, and athleticism on the wing, capable of defending multiple positions while bringing energy and tenaciousness.
It's also fitting that in his last chance to impress voters regarding his defensive player of the year status, Rudy Gobert instead made an impression regarding his all-NBA status.
Posting his 53rd double-double of the season — second-most in the league — Gobert finished with 18 points, 13 rebounds, and two blocks. Although he only shot 4-of-6 from the field, the Trailblazers couldn't stop the big man as he finished 10-of-14 from the free throw line.
In what's been the best offensive season of his career, Gobert has taken the next step on that end of the court. He's more than just a defensive specialist, as he's proven capable of making defenses pay for not paying attention to him on offense.
Although the result was never in doubt, the first quarter was one that the Jazz wished to forget. Despite getting good looks on offense, the ball struggled to go through the hoop as Utah found itself trailing 19-16 after one.
But the Jazz righted the ship in the second quarter, going on an 18-2 run early on as Gobert and Rudy Gay combined for 10 points. Portland showed fight, cutting the deficit to five late in the half before Utah ended the quarter on a 7-0 run to lead 52-40 at the break.
Portland made one last gasp in the third quarter, cutting the deficit to nine before Hernangomez took over. He scored nine straight points as the Jazz went on a 12-2 run to put the game away for good.
With most of the starters resting in the fourth, the Jazz still outscored the Trailblazers by nine to clinch the division — and the No. 5 seed in the playoffs.
Mike Conley finished with 14 points and five assists, while Jared Butler added 11 points off the bench. Jordan Clarkson continues to elevate his game in different ways, finishing with nine points, 11 rebounds, four assists, and three steals.
Utah will have the week off before traveling to Dallas to take on the Mavericks, opening up the playoffs on Saturday at 11 a.m. MST.