Either way, they often need to operate as a unit, rather than relying on one or two players. The Jazz don't really have a true star - though that could depend on how you define that term, or how highly you rate Rudy Gobert or Donovan Mitchell. It wasn't some unforgettable showdown, but Lillard went for 20 points to lead the Blazers, while Mitchell had 19 of his own to pace the Jazz. Things don't always work out as we expect, but on this night they pretty much did, as both of them played well. It was easy to bill this game as a duel between two of the most exciting guards in the Western Conference, Damian Lillard and Donovan Mitchell. Lillard's backcourt mate put up just 11 points on 4-of-11 from the field. No one else scored more than 12 points, and CJ McCollum was especially disappointing. That wasn't enough though, as the rest of the team didn't show up. Though he wasn't at his most efficient, Lillard finished with 20 points, five rebounds and four assists. Where were the other Blazers?ĭamian Lillard showed up for this game, leading the way as he has all season long. Gobert's seven blocks were just one shy of DeAndre Jordan's Christmas Day record of eight. His presence inside was a big factor in the Trail Blazers' poor shooting, as they went just 35-of-89 from the field on the night. He was a shot-blocking machine in this game, finishing with a season-high seven rejections. Rudy Gobert is among the league leaders is blocks per game, and he showed why against the Trail Blazers.
Here are five takeaways from Utah's big win: The Stifle Tower Stuck down in 11th place - but less than four games out of a top-four seed - in the crowded Western Conference, the Jazz needed this win in a big way against another team fighting for playoff positioning. More so than perhaps any other game on Christmas, this was an important one in terms of playoff positioning - even if it's only late December. Seven players scored in double figures for the Jazz in the win. The difference was that Utah's supporting cast showed up, while Portland's did not. Leading by 12 at halftime, the Jazz never relented and pulled away for a 117-96 win over their Northwest Division rivals.Īs expected, the two backcourt stars, Damian Lillard and Donovan Mitchell, showed up Lillard finished with 20 points to lead the Blazers, while Mitchell put up 19 for the Jazz. The last game of the NBA Christmas Day slate between the Utah Jazz and Portland Trail Blazers turned out to be a bit anti-climactic.
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