Jordan Clarkson scored 30 points and Lauri Markkanen added 21 points and nine rebounds, leading the Utah Jazz to a 115-99 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers in an NBA In-Season Tournament game Tuesday night.
John Collins had 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Jazz. Kelly Olynyk finished with 12 points and a season-high 12 rebounds. Keyonte George added 15 points and Collin Sexton 13. George and Sexton each had seven assists.
Utah won its second straight game in the tournament, while Portland, which lost its fourth straight game overall, slipped to 1-1 in West Group A play.
Tenacious defense opened the door to back-to-back wins for the Jazz. Utah forced a game-high 11 steals and regularly disrupted the Blazers’ offensive rhythm at key moments in the game.
“We’re trying to be more active as a group,” Jazz coach Will Hardy said. “We try to rely on our speed. Be a little more proactive on that side and I think it’s been really good for us.
Jerami Grant led Portland with 26 points. Deandre Ayton added 22 points and 10 rebounds and Shaedon Sharpe finished with 17 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Skylar Mays had a game-high 10 assists.
Clarkson gave Utah a spark with his shooting. He started 6-for-6 from the floor and scored 14 points in the first quarter. Clarkson capped a 10-2 run with a steal and dunk — his final basket in the first half — to give the Jazz a 29-19 lead.
Utah did not commit a turnover in the first 15 minutes of the game. Portland struggled to maintain possession and their negligence was costly. The Jazz scored 16 points off 12 Portland turnovers in the first half.
“We have to take care of the ball,” Grant said. “With a lot of new people in the rotation, we’re trying to figure each other out.”
Taking care of the ball gave Utah a lot of offensive momentum. The Jazz opened the second quarter scoring baskets on four straight possessions, punctuated by a three-pointer from Olynyk off a steal that extended Utah’s lead to 45-31.
Portland reduced the deficit throughout the third quarter thanks to consistent shooting from Grant and Ayton. The duo combined for nine baskets and cut Utah’s lead to 87-84 at the end of the quarter. Every time the Trail Blazers threatened to overtake the Jazz, Clarkson countered with timely baskets to keep Utah one step ahead.
“We were decisive on everything: shooting, passing, dribbling,” Clarkson said. “It was something important for us tonight. Everyone made their decisions quickly.
The Jazz ended Portland’s comeback hopes in the fourth quarter. Markkanen scored three baskets to fuel a decisive 13-0 run that put Utah ahead 108-93 with 5:40 left.
“We were stuck at 93 for I don’t know how long,” Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups said. “We created decent plans, not great, but OK. We just couldn’t make any shots and we seemed to have that kind of stretch.
Utah held an opponent under 100 points for the first time under Hardy, ending a 92-game streak dating back to April 2022. The feat offered a step forward for a defense that was beleaguered at times early in the season. the season.
“We should do this more often,” joked Markkanen, who had his sixth straight 20-point game.
FOLLOWING
Trail Blazers: Host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night.
Jazz: Host the Phoenix Suns Friday in another tournament game.
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