Jazz snap 5-game skid, rally to beat Trail Blazers

Portland Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum

Portland Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum (3) fouls Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell (45) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Feb. 7, 2020, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

SALT LAKE CITY — Bojan Bogdanovic had 27 points and Donovan Mitchell scored a go-ahead layup with 19.5 seconds left as the Utah Jazz overcame a 42-point performance by Damian Lillard and beat the Portland Trail Blazers 117-114 on Friday night.

Mike Conley added 18 points for the Jazz. Mitchell and Rudy Gobert (14 rebounds) chipped in 16 points apiece. Utah snapped a five-game losing streak.

C.J. McCollum scored 27 points, Gary Trent added 16 and Mario Hezonja 11 for Portland, which had only seven healthy players available for the bulk of the final three quarters.

Trailing by 13 points early in the third, the Jazz used a 20-6 run to erase Portland’s lead. Ingles punctuated the run with a 3-pointer, putting Utah up 86-85.

The Jazz extended their lead to 106-99 on a 3-pointer by Bogdanovic, but the Blazers rallied. Lillard tied it at 114-all on back-to-back baskets in the final minute. After Mitchell hit the final go-ahead layup, Gobert blocked Lillard’s layup attempt with 11.2 seconds left.

The Blazers shot 75% (15 of 20) in the first quarter. Lillard served as a catalyst for the blistering start.

Stopping the NBA all-star proved to be a chore for the Jazz from the opening tip. Lillard started 7 of 7 from the floor and did not miss his first shot until midway through the second quarter.

Lillard scored 16 points in the first quarter alone. His first four shots came from the perimeter. Lillard’s last two 3-pointers in that stretch were part of a string of three straight Portland baskets that put the Blazers in front 21-12.

Utah used a 17-4 run to surge ahead early in the second quarter. Conley beat the first quarter buzzer with a 3-pointer to fuel the run and Ingles capped it with another outside basket to give the Jazz a 44-41 lead.

Portland regained its footing on offense and regained the lead on a step-back 3-pointer by Lillard that broke a 52-52 tie. The Blazers used a 14-2 run to build a 72-58 halftime lead. Lillard and Gary Trent, Jr. scored back-to-back layups off steals to fuel the spurt.

TIP INS

Blazers: Hassan Whiteside (left leg contusion) did not play. … Trevor Ariza was ejected with 10:05 left in the second quarter after earning two technical fouls when he verbally accosted a referee. … Anfernee Simons did not return after suffering a concussion with 20.7 seconds left in the first quarter. Simons hit the back of his head on the floor after a missed shot. He finished with five points in four minutes. … Caleb Swanigan matched his career high with 11 rebounds.

Jazz: Juwan Morgan had a season high three rebounds – all during the third quarter. … Mitchell finished with a game-high seven assists. … Utah outscored Portland 66-40 in the paint and 20-8 in fastbreak points.

UP NEXT

Blazers host the Miami Heat on Sunday.

Jazz visit the Houston Rockets on Sunday.

Read more...