The Portland Trail Blazers are set to face off against the Utah Jazz on December 26, 2024, at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon. This much-anticipated clash begins at 10:00 PM ET and is significant for both teams as they search for redemption amid challenging seasons marked by struggles and injuries.
The Trail Blazers, currently sitting at 9 wins and 20 losses, have been having a tough time this season. They are positioned 27th in the NBA, averaging just 107.1 points per game, all the more perplexing considering their higher-scoring potential. This season has not been kind to them, as they are averaging 116.8 points against, ranking 24th. According to Ryan Knuppel, "Portland is being outscored by 9.7 points per game with a -281 scoring differential overall." The Trail Blazers are particularly feeling the absence of Matisse Thybulle, who is out with an ankle injury, alongside Robert Williams III and Dalano Banton, both listed as questionable due to their own injuries.
On the other hand, the Jazz come to Portland with a 7-21 record, which ties them at the lower end of the standings. Their offensive struggles have been just as evident, as both their scoring and defensive performances paint a similar picture to the Trail Blazers. They've managed to score just 110.3 points per game (ranking 21st) but are conceding an alarming 119.5 points (the 28th overall), placing them at risk of being outmatched yet again. Another report from Knuppel shows, "Utah has been outscored by 9.2 points per game...posting 110.3 points per game, 21st in league."
For the Jazz, injury woes have compounded their struggles. John Collins is out with hip concerns, and Keyonte George and Jordan Clarkson are both sidelined as well, leaving the team to rally without some of its key players. The season has been particularly bruising for Utah with Taylor Hendricks out for the season, making their playoff aspirations seem grim as both teams navigate through their injury-laden rosters.
Despite the challenges, there are glimmers of hope for the Trail Blazers, chiefly through their scoring leader Anfernee Simons, who has been putting up 17.4 points per game. Similarly, Deandre Ayton has also fought through his limitations, contributing solid rebounding figures. Both will need to step up significantly to tilt the game outcomes which have eluded their grasp so far this season.
The Blazers struggle particularly with rebounding, pulling down 43.2 per game compared to their opponents’ 45.2. With Ayton averaging 10 rebounds per game, adjustments will need to be made against Utah's Walker Kessler, who leads for the Jazz averaging 10.7 rebounds per game—eighth-best league-wide.
The three-point game presents another pivotal area, with the Blazers and Jazz both attempting to find their rhythm beyond the arc. The Blazers are averaging only 12 successful three-pointers (21st), lagging behind their opponents’ 13.8. Jerami Grant leads them with 2.4 made threes per game, but the pressure will be on him and the entire roster to begin sinking shots more efficiently, particularly against the Jazz, who can capitalize on this aspect of the game. The Jazz's Keyonte George has been leading them with 2.7 three-pointers per game, but his absence due to injury could change the game dynamics.
Both franchises face tremendous roadblocks; how they adjust to these obstacles will determine not just the outcome of this individual game, but potentially set the tone for their campaigns moving forward. While the Trail Blazers will miss Thybulle, they must find their way back to form and solve the many issues bedeviling their season. The Jazz, with their collection of injuries, must now dig deep. An encounter between two underperforming teams battling to reclaim some form, what will transpire as they meet on the hardwood again this Thursday night? Only time will tell.
