Portland Trail Blazers vs Utah Jazz Predictions, Odds, Picks

• The Portland Trail Blazers close out their three-game road trip in hopes of salvaging one win.
• The Utah Jazz have alternated wins and losses in their last five games.
• The Jazz won last year’s season series with the Trail Blazers 2-1.

Portland Trail Blazers vs Utah Jazz Odds

Odds provided by Caesars Sportsbook.

Portland Trail Blazers vs Utah Jazz Predictions and Picks

Get excited for a high-octane matchup between two mainstays of the Western Conference playoff race. Utah’s last two losses have been by the slimmest margins, but Portland’s defensive inconsistency should ensure the Jazz a win.

Pick:

Utah Jazz def. Portland Trail Blazers (-320)

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Injury Report

How can the Trail Blazers Beat the Jazz?

The Utah Jazz are a fantastic team that the Portland Trail Blazers will have trouble with when they face off. Whether it be in the paint or on the perimeter, the Blazers must take their defensive duties seriously.

The Jazz are one of the most offensively frugal teams in the NBA, ranking 29th overall in field goal attempts, but ranking third overall in field goal percentage.

Portland must contain the Jazz on at least one front if they want to steal away a victory. Nurkic is a presence in the paint, so it seems to be their best option. With their best wing defender in Norman Powell unavailable, containing Utah’s shooting threat is unrealistic.

Trail Blazers Key Player: (C) Jusuf Nurkic

Dame finds Nurk which leads to 3J pic.twitter.com/V4q4uyKfPt

— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) November 27, 2021

The Trail Blazers are famous for their guard play, but when they face off against the Jazz their frontcourt will need to step up. Jusuf Nurkic will have his hands full taking on Rudy Gobert.

In his last game against the Warriors, Nurkic was productive in limited minutes. He posted 17 points on 6 of 10 shooting, but wasn’t a viable option against the Warriors’ high-tempo attack.

Nurkic will have to battle with one of the NBA’s best interior presences in Rudy Gobert. After a night where he collected just 4 rebounds against the Warriors, Nurkic will have to switch gears if he wants the Trail Blazers to remain competitive.

How Can the Jazz beat the Trail Blazers?

The Utah Jazz are an excellent defensive team, brought together by their multiple-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert. When they face Portland, it will be Utah’s perimeter unit that must step up defensively.

Portland are a perimeter-focused lineup, with their top-three scorers being guards. With Norman Powell possibly out of the lineup, the Trail Blazers will count on Lillard and McCollum even more.

Donovan Mitchell and Mike Conley are solid defensive players. When they face the Blazers though, they’ll need to put on their best defensive performance to stop two of the best scorers in the league.

Jazz Key Player: (G) Mike Conley

?| 20 threes, Mike & Spida combine for 41 ⤵️#podiumpostgame | @podiumhq pic.twitter.com/TPkYSXwmwP

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) November 28, 2021

The Jazz acquired Mike Conley in hopes that he would be the missing piece for their championship run. While the NBA veteran has his ups and downs, he was essential in getting revenge against the New Orleans Pelicans.

In his last game against the Pelicans, Conley posted 20 points, on 8 of 12 shooting from the field. His efficiency was crucial to Utah’s success, as he produced a +13 in 23 minutes.

When Conley is an active scorer in the Utah Jazz’s offence, they are a difficult team to stop. However, Conley’s first priority will be containing the likes of CJ McCollum and Damian Lillard.

How to Watch Portland Trail Blazers vs Utah Jazz