Portland Trail Blazers vs Utah Jazz: Match Preview and Predictions - 7th February 2020
Match details
Fixture: Portland Trail Blazers vs Utah Jazz
Date & Time: Friday, 7th February 2020, 10:30 PM ET
Venue: Vivint Smart Home Arena, Salt Lake City, UT
Last game result
Portland Trail Blazers (24-28): 125-117 win against San Antonio Spurs (6th Feb, Thursday)
Utah Jazz (32-18): 95-98 loss against Denver Nuggets (5th Feb, Wednesday)
Portland Trail Blazers preview
The Portland Trail Blazers are on the road once again as they travel to Salt Lake City to take on the Utah Jazz. The Trail Blazers have won five of their last 6, with the only loss coming against the Denver Nuggets in a blowout loss. They bounced back immediately with a win over the Spurs. Portland is currently ninth in the Western Conference and only three games behind the Memphis Grizzlies as they continue their hunt for a playoff position.
Key player – Damian Lillard
Currently averaging 29.6 points, 8 assists, and 4.3 rebounds this term, Damian Lillard has been an absolute scoring machine. Despite attempting 10 three-pointers this campaign, Lillard is still shooting nearly 40% from range. He went on a stretch of six games where he averaged over 48 points. And Dame’s performances this season have merited him an All-Star selection once again. With Steph Curry missing huge chunk of the season, Lillard has done well to fill his void.
Trail Blazers predicted lineup:
Damian Lillard, CJ McCollum, Trevor Ariza, Carmelo Anthony, Hassan Whiteside
Utah Jazz preview
The Utah Jazz host the Portland Trail Blazers on the back of a loss to the Denver Nuggets after a three-game road trip. Currently 32-18 in the Western Conference and sitting at fifth, the Jazz have had a tremendous season so far. They are only three games behind the second-placed Los Angeles Clippers and will be looking to make a strong push for that second seed. However, they have lost their last five games and their home record makes for much better reading than the away record.
Key player – Donovan Mitchell
Donovan Mitchell is having an outstanding third year for the Utah Jazz. He is averaging 24.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 4.2 assists this campaign while shooting 36% from range and nearly 46% from the field. With Mitchell leading the pack, the Jazz could cause a few upsets this season. His fine start to the season was awarded with an All-Star call-up.
Jazz predicted lineup:
Mike Conley, Donovan Mitchell, Joe Ingles, Bojan Bogdanovic, Rudy Gobert
Trail Blazers vs Jazz match prediction
Having lost five consecutive games, the Jazz will be happy having returned home where they boast an impressive 18-5 record. The Trail Blazers will look to continue their red hot form and given the quality of both sides, it’s a tough game to call. However, Portland, on the back of Lillard's belligerent form, seem to be the better side going into the game.
Where to watch the Trail Blazers vs Jazz game
The game will be broadcasted on ESPN. You can also live stream the game via the NBA League Pass.