Portland Trail Blazers vs Utah Jazz Prediction & Match Preview - May 12th, 2021 | NBA Season 2020-21
2020-21 NBA Western Conference leaders Utah Jazz will be up against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Wednesday.
The Portland Trail Blazers, who are sixth in the standings, are on a four-game winning streak as they look for a higher playoff seeding. They have had several key players coming to the fore at just the right time. As many as four Trail Blazers players scored at least 20 points in their last game against the Houston Rockets.
The Utah Jazz, meanwhile, are missing their all-star guard-pairing of Donovan Mitchell and Mike Conley. Bojan Bogdanovic has been in prolific form, scoring 27 points in the loss against the Golden State Warriors, the Jazz's first in six games.
Match Details
Fixture: Portland Trail Blazers vs Utah Jazz | NBA Season 2020-21.
Date & Time: Wednesday, May 12th; 9:30 PM ET (Thursday, 13th May; 7:00 AM IST).
Venue: Vivint Arena, Salt Lake City, UT.
Utah Jazz Preview
Jordan Clarkson produced his second-highest ever points tally in a game in the Utah Jazz’s loss against the Warriors. He is the favorite to win the Sixth Man of the Year award and is averaging more than 28 points in his last four outings.
Meanwhile, Bojan Bogdanovic has been the Utah Jazz’s most prolific scorer in the absence of Conley and Donovan Mitchell, which has allowed the team to continue their dominant form in recent weeks.
Rudy Gober is on the lookout for his third consecutive double-double in terms of points and rebounds and is a strong contender for the Defensive Player of the Year award.
Key Player – Rudy Gobert
Rudy Gobert is having one of his best seasons offensively, averaging a double-double, tallying 14.3 points and 13.3 rebounds per game.
He is also producing his best-ever season in terms of scoring efficiency and blocks per game, tallying 67.5% and 2.7, respectively. Gobert’s defensive prowess has allowed the Utah Jazz’s offensive players to play with freedom.
Utah Jazz Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Joe Ingles l Shooting Guard - Royce O'Neale l Small Forward - Bojan Bogdanovic l Power Forward - Georges Niang l Center - Rudy Gobert.
Portland Trail Blazers Preview
The Portland Trail Blazers have peaked at the right time as they eye a deep run in the playoffs. Norman Powell has averaged more than 20 points in his last three appearances, while CJ McCollum has averaged more than 25.
Damian Lillard top-scored for the Portland Trail Blazers against the Houston Rockets in his last outing, registering 32 points, six assists and nine rebounds, while Jusuf Nurkic got ten of his 14 jumpers on target.
The Portland Trail Blazers are missing Zach Collins and Carmelo Anthony, though, while Nassir Little has been included in the doubtful list for this game.
Key Player – Damian Lillard
Lillard’s clutch plays have led to many a memorable win for the Portland Trail Blazers this season.
There has been quite a bit of speculation over Lillard’s future despite the player producing some extraordinary numbers for the Portland Trail Blazers. In his last five games, Lillard has averaged more than 33 points per game and almost eight assists per outing.
Considering the close fight in the race for playoff seeds, the Portland Trail Blazers need to produce a strong end to their regular-season campaign.
Portland Trail Blazers Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Damian Lillard l Shooting Guard - CJ McCollum l Small Forward - Norman Powell l Power Forward - Robert Covington l Center - Jusuf Nurkic.
Trail Blazers vs Jazz Prediction
The Utah Jazz have been prolific in recent games but fell to a defeat against Stephen Curry’s Golden State Warriors in their last outing. They will be itching to get back to winning ways, but their task would be cut out against the in-form Portland Trail Blazers.
The Trail Blazers are on an impressive run and have multiple shooting threats capable of dominating the Utah Jazz’s defense. Nevertheless, in what promises to be a highly entertaining affair, the Utah Jazz are the favorites to win this matchup.
Where to watch the Trail Blazers vs Jazz game?
Live coverage of the Portland Trail Blazers vs Utah Jazz game will be available on NBC Sports NorthWest and AT&T Sportsnet - Rocky Mountain. The match can also be live-streamed with an NBA League Pass.