Utah Jazz Defensive Woes Spell Doom Against Trail Blazers
Oct 29, 2025, 10:47 PM | Updated: Oct 30, 2025, 9:52 am
Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George (3) is helped off the court by guard Elijah Harkless (16) after George was roughed up on a play against the Portland Trail Blazers (Credit: Isaac Hale, Deseret News)
(Credit: Isaac Hale, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Jazz suffered their first home loss of the season Wednesday, falling 136-134 to the Portland Trail Blazers at Delta Center.
Lauri Markkanen led the Jazz with 32 points, while Jrue Holiday paced the Trail Blazers with 27.
Related: What has been the best development of Jazz’s season so far?
Jazz Nearly Complete Comeback After Defensive Woes
The Jazz’s defense faltered through the first three quarters, allowing Portland to build a 117-98 lead heading into the fourth. The Blazers scored 44 points in the paint over the first 36 minutes, repeatedly exploiting the Jazz with easy drives and dump-off passes at the rim.
“We have way too many guys who, tonight in the first three quarters, just did not do their jobs and did not compete at a high enough level,” Jazz coach Will Hardy said.
In search of a spark, Hardy turned to Cody Williams and Elijah Harkless, giving both their first extended minutes of the 2025-26 season. Harkless, a strong defender on a two-way contract, and Williams, still developing his game to match his physical tools and defensive instincts, immediately changed the tone, forcing Portland to work for every shot in the final period.
volume up for this one 🔊
down three, 35.1 on the clock!
TUNE-IN NOW! pic.twitter.com/gc8gQUgtOD
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) October 30, 2025
“I want to give Cody and EJ a huge shoutout, because they changed the game,” Hardy said. “The Blazers scored four points in the paint in the fourth quarter, and I think it’s because of how those two guarded the ball.”
After shooting 53 percent from the field and 45 percent from three through three quarters, Portland went cold in the fourth. The Blazers hit just 4-18 shots in the final 12 minutes, largely due to the defensive pressure from Harkless and Williams.
Though the Jazz couldn’t complete the comeback, Harkless (one point, three rebounds, one assist, two steals) and Williams (four points, one rebound, two assists) delivered the kind of effort Utah needs to avoid finishing with the NBA’s worst defense for a third straight season.
“I’ve talked in the last couple of years about the difference between a survival instinct and a killer instinct,” Hardy said. “We have to channel that much more than we did tonight, and reward the guys who played well.”
Keyonte George Bounces Back in Fourth Quarter
While Harkless and Williams earned Hardy’s praise, Keyonte George also helped fuel the fourth-quarter rally.
George, who has struggled with inefficiency and turnovers early in his career, appeared headed for his first poor outing of the season, entering the fourth with 16 points, five assists, and four turnovers on just 3-of-10 shooting.
a closer look at that assist 🔎#TakeNote | @AiriousB | @keyonte1george https://t.co/ukQmRCL9V8 pic.twitter.com/ZNtJ0dOa8a
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) October 30, 2025
But the third-year guard responded with 13 points and three assists on 3-of-4 shooting in under eight minutes during the final period.
He finished with a season-high 29 points and seven assists, shooting 6-of-14 from the field and a perfect 15-of-15 from the free-throw line.
Though his six turnovers remain a concern, George showed the ability to turn a rough night into a strong performance that gave the Jazz a chance to win.
Ace Bailey Shows Growth in Limited Minutes
Rookie Ace Bailey delivered his best performance in a Jazz uniform in just his fourth NBA game.
The 19-year-old scored eight points on 3-of-3 shooting and contributed three rebounds, two assists, and a block in 15 minutes. More importantly, he made an impact without forcing shots or dominating the ball.
pick a bucket: pic.twitter.com/5Y59ddySmR
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) October 30, 2025
Bailey had looked rushed in his first three appearances but appeared far more composed against Portland, showing signs of growth beyond his reputation as a high-volume scorer.
Whether Hardy is prepared to extend the rookie’s minutes remains to be seen, but his floor time against the Trail Blazers should help build confidence in how Bailey can help the team.
Next Utah Jazz Broadcast
The Jazz will travel to face the Phoenix Suns on Friday at 8 p.m. MST. The game will be televised on KJZZ, streamed on Jazz+, and heard on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone.
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Ben Anderson is the Utah Jazz insider for KSL Sports and the co-host of Jake and Ben from 10-12p with Jake Scott on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone. Find Ben on Twitter at @BensHoops, on Instagram @BensHoops, or on BlueSky.
