“Wait! Wait! Just because Ace isn’t playing doesn’t mean you shouldn’t watch this game! Please stick around a while longer — please!!”
Yeah, you read that correctly (and I applaud your literacy). Ace Bailey
won’t be playing in this preseason battle against the Portland Trail Blazers. I apologize to those of you who already purchased your tickets, but there are still reasons to watch the Utah Jazz other than the most exciting thing to happen in Utah since Donovan Mitchell’s putback dunk against the Lakers.
Good times.
But enough reminiscing, it’s time to talk about the game at hand — the reason you clicked on this article in the first place (except for those of you enjoying your own separate discourse in the comments — love you guys). You’re all here for the game preview for the Utah Jazz and the Portland Trail Blazers.
So, what should we expect in this coming clash of the Western Conference underdwellers?
Utah and Portland enter this season under similar circumstances on paper, though drastically different in practice. The Jazz and Trail Blazers both have fairly non-competitive rosters in the grand scheme of the NBA. In the case of our representatives from the Pacific Northwest, a jumble of youngsters and no clear way forward may sound very familiar to eavesdroppers from the West side of the Rocky Mountains. Portland has no desire to win the championship this season — that is far from their scope — no, this division rival simply doesn’t have the talent, nor the experience to swing within a mile of that curveball.
In spite of this, last year’s team, led by a slowly improving Scoot Henderson (yeah, remember him?), a walking poster press in Shaedon Sharpe, and This year, with the ghost of Damian Lillard filling an expensive advisory role on the team, and having catapulted noted locker room cancer Deandre Ayton into the sun, a spot in the play-in could very well be in the stars for this rag-tag bunch.
It’s a different story, with a similar cast in Utah (just like in Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, a show that I refuse to stop praising, now years after its release).
With the Jazz up to bat, contending for so much as a play-in spot is a proposition more akin to a cross-eyed knuckleball. They can hardly see the ball, much less predict where it might be going. The chance of exceeding expectations is not only negligible, it’s in their best interest to minimize the chances of success as much as possible (maybe try a blindfold next time?). The Utah front office understands this — it’s by design. They’re pleased to take three strikes and lounge in the dugout.
These teams were distanced by 19 games in the final Western Conference Standings last season. That’s a difference far more severe than one would think, considering their recent circumstances.
Utah Jazz vs Portland Trail Blazers: key players to watch
Portland Trail Blazers:
Toumani Camara and Matisse Thybulle: Camara made a name for himself last season as one of the NBA’s premier on-ball defenders. Thybulle carries a similar reputation. Both of these players are listed as day-to-day on the Trail Blazers’ injury report, but could return in this game (that would be some lousy luck if they sit this one out). Do you like defense? You won’t see any from Utah in this one, so you may as well admire some of Portland’s handy work.
Utah Jazz:
Taylor Hendricks and Walter Clayton: Look, I’ve been singing the praises of Taylor Hendricks just as much as everyone else during the preseason, but it’s been so refreshing to see asterisk-less growth from Utah’s former top-10 selection. He’s been great, and this isn’t even him at the peak of his powers. I’m trying to stay calm, but it’s challenging. For Clayton, he’s been filling in for the injured Isaiah Collier and handling his distribution-centered role terrifically for an (admittedly experienced) rookie. These two connected a few times during Utah’s last preseason game, and I’m hoping they can play off each other’s strengths to summon the basketball equivalent of a supernova on the court.
Utah vs Portland Injury Report:
Utah Jazz Injuries:
OUT: Georges Niang, Walker Kessler, Ace Bailey, Kyle Anderson, Isaiah Collier
Sadly, Kyle Anderson’s Jazz debut has — once again — been delayed. Agony.
Portland Trail Blazers Injuries:
OUT: Damian Lillard, Robert Williams III, Scoot Henderson
Day-to-day: Toumani Camara, Matisse Thybulle
Hey, I mentioned some of those guys earlier!
How to watch Utah Jazz vs Portland Trail Blazers: start time, channel
So, even without Ace Bailey, you’ve been convinced to tune in, right? Great.
This game will be played from the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 PM MT, and will be broadcast on KJZZ and SEG+.
Calvin Barrett is a writer, editor, and prolific Mario Kart racer located in Tokyo, Japan. He has covered the NBA and College Sports since 2024.
