Comfortable Anywhere
Salt Lake City, UT – While the Portland Trail Blazers were spending most of the first six weeks of the season on the road, they managed to maintain the Western Conference’s longest undefeated start at home.
Although that’s ended, the Blazers have looked just as comfortable away from the Rose Garden of late.
Oddsmakers from online sports book Sportsbook.com have made the Jazz –2.5 point spread favorites for Thursday’s game against the Trail Blazers. Current NBA Public Betting Information shows that 79% of more than 243 bets for this game have been placed on the Jazz –2.5.
After a desperation 3-pointer snapped its home winning streak, Portland will try to continue its hot road play Thursday night in a matchup with the Utah Jazz.
The Trail Blazers (15-8), who played 15 of their first 22 games on the road, were very impressive in their limited home contests during the opening month. Portland won its seven home games by an average of 14.7 points, twice winning by at least 38.
It looked like the Blazers would improve to 8-0 at the Rose Garden on Tuesday when LaMarcus Aldridge’s jumper with 2:21 left – the last of his 25 points – put Portland up 108-100 on Orlando. The Blazers, however, didn’t score again, and the Magic hit three 3-pointers – the last a 25-foot bank shot by Hedo Turkoglu with 0.3 seconds left – to win 109-108.
"Our offense was really bad the last minute and a half,” said guard Brandon Roy, who scored a season-high 30 points. "It’s a tough loss but tomorrow’s a new day."
Portland has won four of five on the road after a 4-6 start there, and beginning Friday will play 10 of 12 at home. Before that, though, comes a trip to Utah, where the Jazz (14-9) have lost three times in their last six games.
EnergySolutions Arena was the toughest venue in the NBA for opponents last season, when Utah won 37 of its 41 games by an average of 14.4 points. One of those losses came Dec. 11, 2007, when the Blazers beat the Jazz 97-89 behind 25 points from Martell Webster.
Webster missed the first 21 games of this season with a stress fracture in his left foot, and played only five minutes Sunday in Toronto before feeling pain. He’s now expected to miss at least four more weeks.
Injuries are nothing new for Utah, which has seen its two best players miss significant time. Deron Williams sat out 13 of the team’s first 15 games while recovering from an ankle sprain. He’s been back for two weeks, but Carlos Boozer has gone out of the lineup.
Boozer has missed the last 11 games with a strained left quadriceps, and he’ll be held out until at least Saturday’s game against Orlando.
Utah is 6-5 without Boozer, but his absence has allowed Paul Millsap to play a bigger role. Millsap has seized the opportunity, starting the past 10 games and averaging 16.9 points and 10.8 rebounds.
Millsap had 15 points and 10 boards – his ninth straight double-double – as the Jazz knocked off Minnesota 99-96 on Tuesday, the 20th anniversary of Jerry Sloan’s promotion to Utah head coach.
"We’re trying to win as many games as we possibly can, especially on the road,” said guard Ronnie Brewer, who had a game-high 25 points. "We struggled. Even though this was a big night for Jerry, it was a big night for the team. You’ve got to win."
Mehmet Okur had 21 points and hit the go-ahead jumper with 1.7 seconds left against the Timberwolves, and he led the way when Utah hosted the Blazers last month. Okur had 22 points and nine rebounds as the Jazz rallied from a fourth-quarter deficit to win 103-96.
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Posted: 12/10/08 11:33PM ET