Jordan Clarkson scored 30 points on 13-of-19 shooting to lead the Utah Jazz to a 115-99 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday night at Salt Lake City.
Lauri Markkanen added 21 points and nine rebounds as Utah won its second straight game.
The Jazz also improved to 2-0 in Group West A play of the NBA’s in-season tournament. Portland fell to 1-1.
Jerami Grant scored 26 points and Deandre Ayton had 22 points and 10 rebounds for the Trail Blazers, who lost their fourth straight contest.
Utah limited Portland to 13 points in the final quarter.
Keyonte George registered 15 points and seven assists while John Collins had 14 points, 10 rebounds and three blocked shots for the Jazz. Reserves Collin Sexton (13 points and seven assists) and Kelly Olynyk (12 points and 12 boards) also had big roles in the win.
Shaedon Sharpe recorded 17 points, eight rebounds and seven assists for Portland. Jabari Walker added 12 points and eight rebounds off the bench and Skylar Mays collected 10 assists.
Portland’s Malcolm Brogdon (hamstring) missed his second straight game.
Utah shot 46.3 percent from the field, including 13 of 43 from 3-point range (30.2 percent).
Portland made just 42 percent of its shots and was 11 of 35 (31.4 percent) from behind the arc.
Mays scored on a layup to bring Portland within 95-93 with 11:01 left in the contest.
The Jazz then erupted with 13 consecutive points. Markkanen scored seven straight in the spurt that concluded with Utah leading 108-93 with 5:40 remaining. Portland didn’t threaten again.
Clarkson scored 16 first-half points as the Jazz led 67-58 at the break. Ayton scored 14 in the half for Portland.
Clarkson tallied 10 more points in the third quarter as Utah maintained the nine-point edge.
The Trail Blazers moved within 85-82 after a 3-pointer by Grant with 2:26 left in the period.
But Sexton drained a 3-pointer with 32 seconds left and Markkanen scored with a second to go to give Utah a 95-86 lead heading into the fourth.
–Field Level Media
