The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Utah Jazz 112-90 in Salt Lake City on October 30. Deni Avdija led all scorers with 24 points, while Damian Lillard contributed 22 points and Donvan Clingan recorded 9 rebounds.
The game began with a hectic pace as neither team could establish a scoring rhythm. Damian Lillard scored 11 of the Blazers' first 14 points, being the only Portland player to score from the field during the first six and a half minutes. A 17-0 run for Portland in the first quarter helped build a lead that the team maintained throughout the afternoon. By halftime, the Blazers held a 59-42 lead, with Avdija having 19 points, including 10 from the free-throw line.
Portland's victory was driven by energy and aggression on both ends of the court. The Blazers won the second-chance points battle 18-6 and outshot Utah from the free-throw line, making 41 attempts compared to Utah's 26. Defensively, Portland generated 19 turnovers and held the Jazz to under 40% from the field and below 30% from deep. Lillard also led the team with four assists during the contest.
The game featured rotation shifts in the center position. While Robert Williams III returned to the lineup, Yang Hansen was given minutes, finishing with 6 points and 5 rebounds in 13 minutes. This follows a game on Thursday against the Memphis Grizzlies where Brandon Carlsen and Micah Potter played at center during a rest day for Williams.
The Blazers are scheduled to face the Denver Nuggets on Monday, November 2, at 6:00 PM Pacific.
