Jordan Clarkson Drops Dime To Walker Kessler

PORTLAND – In the third quarter against Portland, Jordan Clarkson drove to the paint and wrapped a pass around the back of the defender to a cutting Walker Kessler.

The highlight pass was Clarkson’s third assist. Kessler got his 6th point on the dunk. In addition to the flashy assists, Jordan Clarkson added 12 points.

JC droppin’ dimes for the rook 💰#TakeNote pic.twitter.com/mAVjcFMfyu

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) January 26, 2023

The third quarter was rough for Utah. Damian Lillard and the Trailblazers brought a three-point barrage. Lillard had 50 points through the first three quarters.

Damian Lillard just scored TWENTY straight points for the Blazers 😳

He’s got a 50 piece with 9 minutes left in Q4.

📲 https://t.co/1pomQZN8Pi pic.twitter.com/GYiNrvmtqt

— NBA (@NBA) January 26, 2023

Utah trailed Portland, 102-91, at the end of the third quarter.

The Jazz have won five of their last seven games, including a blowout 120-102 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Monday.

The Trail Blazers meanwhile will look to win their second straight after crushing the San Antonio Spurs in their last outing.

Jazz Hitting Stride Before All-Star Break

Despite trade rumors swirling about several players on the roster, and fatigue setting in before the All-Star break the Jazz are playing some of their best basketball of the season.

The Jazz are 5-2 in their last seven games and own the fourth-best net rating in the NBA over the stretch.

The team has outscored opponents by an average of 5.5 points per 100 possession over their last seven outings, trailing only the Sacramento Kings, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Denver Nuggets.

🎷 Jazz on the road tonight vs @trailblazers

Listen live at 8: https://t.co/OExdEAiY8o

Follow @BensHoops for insight and analysis. pic.twitter.com/YB1LWeQEZI

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) January 25, 2023

While the Jazz own the fourth-best offensive rating in the NBA this season, it’s been their defensive improvement that has carried them in recent weeks.

The Jazz have seen their defensive rating climb to ninth-best in the league during their recent hot streak, up from 25th for the year.

Kelly Olynyk will miss his eighth consecutive game for the Jazz due to an ankle injury suffered against the Memphis Grizzlies on January 8.

Blazers Desperate For Wins

After playing above .500 basketball through the first three months of the season, the Trail Blazers have had a miserable January.

Portland is just 4-8 since ringing in the new year and has slipped from the eighth seed in the West to 12th, three games back of .500.

The Trail Blazers are in the midst of an important six-game home stand which has gotten off to a rocky start, dropping two of their first three games.

The NBA standings through Jan. 24!

📲 https://t.co/6FlAliik3X pic.twitter.com/McVJKTZcvd

— NBA (@NBA) January 25, 2023

After facing the Jazz, Portland will host Toronto and Atlanta before heading out on a three-game eastern conference road trip.

The recent down streak comes at a difficult time for the Blazers who will face significant pressure to decide the direction of their franchise before the trade deadline.

The team could be buyers at the deadline, looking to make up the gap between themselves and the rest of Western Conference playoff contenders, or begin exploring options to begin a rebuild.

Utah Jazz Vs. Portland Trail Blazers Broadcast

The Utah Jazz and Portland Trail Blazers will tip off at 8 pm MT. The game will be televised on AT&T SportsNet and can be heard on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone. It can also be streamed on DirecTV Stream and FuboTV.

Chandler Holt is a Digital Sports Producer for sports.ksl.com, specializing in all things basketball and football. Follow Chandler on Twitter at @ChandlerHoltKSL.

Follow @CHoltSports