Trail Blazers at Jazz
The Portland Trail Blazers are comfortably in playoff position and will attempt to continue building momentum when they visit the Utah Jazz on Friday. The Trail Blazers, who have won four of five, added to their scoring depth by acquiring guard Arron Afflalo from Denver on Thursday at the trade deadline to augment a lineup featuring three players averaging at least 16 points. Utah is looking to the future and has shown some improvement of late while winning two of its last three contests.
Afflalo, who isn’t expected to play Friday, averaged 14.5 points with Denver and gives Portland another wing player that can take pressure off fellow guards Damian Lillard and Wesley Matthews. The Trail Blazers have won five straight against the Jazz, including a 103-102 triumph earlier in February at Portland. Gordon Hayward hopes to stay on a roll for Utah after averaging 23.7 points over the last seven contests, including a pair of 30-point efforts.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, CSN Northwest (Portland), ROOT (Utah)
ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (36-17): Portland traded forwards Thomas Robinson and Victor Claver along with guard Will Barton – all averaging 3.6 points or fewer -- to Denver in the deal for Afflalo and forward Alonzo Gee. Lillard, who played in the All-Star Game, is averaging 21.5 points and 6.3 assists while Matthews (16.4 points) has emerged the last two seasons as a major offensive threat. The improvement on the perimeter could also create more room for All-Star forward LaMarcus Aldridge (23.6 points, 10.3 assists).
ABOUT THE JAZZ (19-34): Utah dealt fourth-leading scorer Enes Kanter (13.8 points, 7.8 rebounds) and forward Steve Novak to Oklahoma City on Thursday for Kendrick Perkins, who expected to be bought out, and other pieces. Kanter said recently he had hoped to be traded and got his wish, leaving the Jazz with three active players averaging at least 12 points with Alec Burks out for the season due to injury. Hayward leads the way at 19.7 while Derrick Favors (15.9) and Trey Burke (12.6) all appear to be part of the team’s future.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Portland C Robin Lopez has scored in double figures in five straight games since returning from an injury, averaging 11.4 points.
2. The Jazz are 10th in the league in scoring defense (98.2) after finishing 18th last season at 102.2.
3. The Trail Blazers leads the NBA in free-throw shooting percentage (79.5) and Utah stands 27th at 73.5.