Communication woes allow Portland big fourth quarter against Jazz


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SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Jazz have improved and they are improving.

When completely healthy, they are a team few teams in the NBA would want to face. When completely healthy, they are a strong defensive team, with developing offensive pieces.

However, when they are not entirely healthy, they are a different team. Monday, the Jazz were missing Gordon Hayward because of a shoulder injury, and then lost Rodney Hood to a stomach ailment. In the process, Utah fell 106-104 to the seven-man Minnesota Timberwolves.

The game wasn’t pretty for the Jazz, specifically defensively. Also, several players struggled offensively.

Utah coach Quin Snyder said not having Hayward and Hood adds pressure to other players.

“(Monday), we just missed that length, and those guys playing passing lanes,” he said. “And the most obvious thing, I think, is it’s harder for us to score. The guys are two of our best offensive players. … The ability for us to score throughout the course of the game and then execute at the end of the game are two challenges for us right now.”

The struggles were real for the Jazz Monday against Minnesota, and remained present against the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday. Utah took an early lead against the weary Blazers, but was unable to convert in the fourth quarter in a 92-89 loss to Portland.


Portland scored 12 points in the first quarter, and 37 points in the fourth quarter.

The Jazz started strong against Portland, taking a 21-12 lead at the end of the first quarter. The Blazers made just 5-of-20 shots in the opening quarter, and made just 2-of-8 3-pointers.

While Portland outscored Utah in the second quarter, giving the Jazz just a 39-37 halftime lead, Utah erupted in the third quarter. The Jazz closed the quarter on a 15-2 run, taking a 65-55 lead heading into the final period.

Joe Ingles scored seven points in the period, and Trey Burke, rebounding from his 4-of-22 struggles against Minnesota, scored eight of his 22 points in the quarter.

However, the Trail Blazers dominated the final period, outscoring Utah 37-24.

Snyder said it was a series of breakdowns that allowed the Blazers the success they had late.

“There was a couple possessions in transition where we got caught not getting to the next play,” he said, as Portland made 13-of-23 shots in the fourth quarter. “We weren’t as connected as we need to be. There were just situations where we didn’t communicate, and as a result they were getting some open looks.

“We’ll see the tape, and we’ll see one guy not being connected. The game got us disconnected.”

Portland star Damian Lillard played college basketball at Weber State, and was known as a prolific scorer as a Wildcat. Lillard showcased his skills late, closing with 13 points in the fourth quarter — part of a 23-point, 12-assist, eight-rebound night for the former Rookie of the Year.

Lillard said his team’s performance reflected the importance of the game.

“We knew it was going to be a tough one,” said Lillard, who had Weber State coach Randy Rahe among his supporters in Salt Lake. “Coming up here in the altitude, them on their home court playing well, we had to go and take it. We had to come together and get tougher on the defensive end and play together on the offensive end. I thought we did that. We did everything we needed going down the stretch to get it done.”

Burke said Lillard is a unique challenge to guard.

“He’s a really good player, and we knew he was going to be aggressive down the stretch,” he said. “He did a good job of getting to the free-throw line, which kind of messed our rhythm up. So, it was a tough one for us to swallow.”

Burke had a scary moment late in the fourth quarter, when he was brought to his knees by neck pain.

With Hayward out, Snyder has talked about Utah’s need for other players to step up, and Derrick Favors made his presence known. Matched up against LaMarcus Aldridge, Favors finished with 26 points and 13 rebounds.

#UJ1

“We can’t really overreact, but it’s stuff we need to fix; stuff we need to come together, watch film and get better at,” he said. “Right now, we can’t overreact it. We played hard; we played a good team, and it was just a tough point of view.”

Like Monday’s overtime loss to Minnesota, the game came down to a final opportunity for the Jazz to give the game extra time. Burke took the shot Monday, with Favors taking the shot Wednesday.

Favors’ 3-point attempt rattled in and out at the buzzer, sending the Jazz to their second consecutive last-second loss.

Snyder said the last play wasn’t perfect.

“It was a series of reads,” he said. “(Favors) ended up with it, and it wasn’t executed exactly the way we wanted it, but it was sufficient.”

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Jon Oglesby

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