The UnUnOfficial Portland Vs Utah game thread!

Blazers win! 96-86!

 

The Trail Blazers won their first exhibition game of the season, defeating the Utah Jazz 96-86 Friday night at CenturyLink Arena in Boise. The Blazers, who played in front of a standing-room-only crowd of more than 6,000 in the home arena of their NBA Development League affiliate, the Idaho Stampede, are 1-2 this exhibition season.


Aldridge in midseason form
All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge is clearly over his left quadriceps injury. The Blazers’ starting power forward manhandled the Jazz’ young frontline Friday, scoring in a variety of ways — and at will — in a performance that revealed he’s in midseason form.


Aldridge scored the Blazers’ first basket on a midrange jumper from the top of the key and never let up, mixing drives to the basket and up-and-under finishes with fadeaway jumpers during a dominant outing. Aldridge finished with 20 points, eight rebounds, two blocks and two assists, while making 8 of 9 field goals. And he did it in just 18 minutes.


Any concerns that surfaced when he pulled up lame in training camp have been quieted the last two games, as Aldridge has scored 30 points, recorded 14 rebounds and made 13 of 18 shots in 31 minutes.


Highlight worthy
Damian Lillard didn’t disappoint the Boise crowd, dazzling the jam-packed arena with multiple jaw-dropping plays. For the second consecutive game, Sixth Man Mo Williams connected with Lillard on a pretty alley-oop lob, this time in the first quarter. Later, Lillard created his own breathtaking dunk, driving straight through the middle of the Utah defense for a powerful one-handed finish.


After pulverizing the Jazz inside, Lillard moved outside. He recorded a rare four-point play in the second quarter, swishing a deep three-pointer while being fouled by Trey Burke. And, for good measure, Lillard banked in a tough contested 21-foot jumper just before the halftime buzzer to give the Blazers a 52-43 lead heading into the second half.


The highlights were part of a productive night for Lillard, who finished with 23 points and five assists, while making 8 of 15 shots, in his best performance of the exhibition season.


Matthews breaks out of slump
He made just 2 of 10 shots in the opener against the Los Angeles Clippers. He missed all three of his attempts versus the Phoenix Suns.


But starting shooting guard Wesley Matthews rediscovered his shooting stroke Friday night.


Matthews swished an early three from the right wing, added another from the top of the key and then punctuated his hot started with a 12-foot jumper midway through the first quarter. It was a temporary sizzling moment — he missed his next two shots and finished 3 for 5 from the field with eight points— but after shooting 15 percent and missing all five of his three-point attempts in the first two games, it was a slump-buster, nonetheless.


Offense finally clicks early
After enduring sluggish and sloppy starts in their first two exhibition games, the Blazers were clicking early against the Jazz. They made 10 of 14 shots to open the game, including all three of their three-point attempts, and built an early 24-16 lead. Coach Terry Stotts had been frustrated with his team’s starts through two games — when they scored a combined 36 first-quarter points — but he had very little to complain about Friday night as the Blazers led going into the second quarter for the first time this exhibition season.


Leonard sits
Second-year center Meyers Leonard did not play Friday night as he continued to rest a strained right foot. Leonard injured his foot during the Blazers’ loss to the Suns on Wednesday and has not played since. Rest and therapy are supposed to cure the ailment and the Blazers have an off-day scheduled for Saturday, which will give Leonard three consecutive days off.


--Joe Freeman

http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/i...tml?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

 

Was this a case of Portland finally playing relatively decent, or a case of Utah just sucks really really hard?

 

I'll go with the latter. The Jazz are the worst team in the West this year. Maybe the worst overall.

 

...

All that in 31 minutes!? He should aim for those stats each game!

 

Casey Holdahl ‏@CHold . @aldridge_12 made a point of praising Joel Freeland's defensive effort, said having someone contesting shots at the rim is big.