<div align="center"> <font color="Navy">Utah Jazz</font> (9-11) @ <font color="Red">Portland TrailBlazers</font> (9-9) </div> When: Sunday 12th December, 8:00 PM (EST) Where: Rose Garden Local TV: FSNW / KJZZ National TV: NBATV <div align="center">Likely Starters</div> <div align="center"><font color="Blue">Jazz</font></div> <div align="center"> </div> <div align="center"><font size="1">Carlos Arroyo, Raja Bell, Matt Harpring, Carlos Boozer, Mehmet Okur</font></div> <div align="center"><div align="center"><font color="Red">Blazers</font></div> <div align="center"> </div> <font size="1">Damon Stoudamire, Derek Anderson, Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Zach Randolph, Theo Ratliff</font></div> Injured List <font color="Navy">Jazz:</font> Curtis Borchardt, Andrei Kirilenko, Keith McLeod <font color="Red">Blazers:</font> Richie Frahm, Viktor Khryapa, Vladimir Stepania Key Matchup Shareef Abdur-Rahim vs. Matt Harpring Abdur-Rahim had a great game in the two teams latest meeting, but Harpring played great for the Jazz in OT. Harpring needs to stop Abdur-Rahim from scoring at will like he did in the last time. Prediction Tough one to call, Portland are at home and will want to get one back from Utah. Utah may have had a one off good game without Kirilenko, or they may have finally adjusted. Either way, it should be close. Portland 85, Utah 84
Jazz had another dissapearing act in the 4th, and lost 98 - 88. All of Utah's starters performed, except for Boozer, who finished with a dissapointing 12 and 7. Arroyo may be back to his old form, 12 and 12 with 4 steals. Utah's bench combined for 9 points.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Stockton:</div><div class="quote_post">Utah's bench combined for 9 points.</div> That is one thing that is wrong with the Jazz. At the beginning of the season the Jazz's bench was giving us a 25-35 points a game, now we are getting 9. I know a lot has to do with AK being out and moving Okur, Harpring, and Bell into the starting rotation, but a strong bench takes a lot off of the starting lineup. The starting 5 could relax and just play their game, and then the second lineup could come in and finish the kill. Now the Jazz seem to be relying too much on the first string and not relaxing and playing their game. I believe a strong bench is the key to winning in this game, and we had one, now where has it gone?