It’s only December, but the battle for positioning in the 2025 NBA Draft has begun. On Friday night, the Portland Trail Blazers hosted the last-place Utah Jazz at the Moda Center for a showdown to see who can improve their chances as the ping-pong balls decide the fate of Cooper Flagg, Ace Bailey and other top draft prospects. The Blazers ultimately came out on top in this battle, losing 141-99 to the Jazz in front of a disappointed home crowd.

On paper, the Blazers’ starting lineup had much more talent than the up-and-coming Jazz, but you wouldn’t notice it after the first quarter. Jerami Grant opened with a three-pointer to give the Blazers a 3-2 lead, but after that it was all Utah. The starting lineup of Grant, Anfernee Simons, Shaedon Sharpe, Toumani Camara and Deandre Ayton did everything right in the first half, getting beat in transition, rebounding and three-point shooting.

Unfortunately, the second half didn’t get any better. Except for a two-minute, thirty-second stretch in the third quarter, the Blazers played like they didn’t care about this game. To say there was no effort would be a compliment to the team. At one point in the fourth quarter, the Blazers trailed the 4-17 Jazz by 46 points.

Percentages told the full story tonight. The Blazers shot 38% from the field and 29% from three-point range. In contrast, the Jazz shot 55% from the field and 44% from distance. Utah made easy shot after easy shot at the rim and three-point arc, while the Blazers missed open threes and layups. The only bright spot for Portland tonight was that they only committed four turnovers in the first three quarters of the game. They would end up with a total of 10 for the game, which is below their season average.

I know one of the goals of the season is to fight for the worst record in the league, but why did the Blazers have to be so good at it tonight against the Jazz?

MVP of the game

I was hesitant to give out my MVP of the game tonight. It’s hard to call anyone “worthy” after being eliminated at home by the last place in the conference, but the show must go on. The Blazers went on an 11-0 run in the third quarter, all because Jabari Walker only has one gear, and that’s hustle.

At 9:30 of the third quarter, Walker flew into the stands to save a loose ball. It landed perfectly in the hands of Shaedon Sharpe, who hit Anfernee Simons for an open three-pointer, forcing a Jazz timeout. Over the next two minutes, Walker fought for rebounds, disrupted passing lanes and played solid defense.

Unfortunately, the Blazers couldn’t sustain that performance, but Walker turns heads whenever he gets playing time. The statistic of 1 point, 3 rebounds and 2 assists is not enough to tell the whole story.

What is your why?

The real story of today’s game is all about effort and desire. Most of the time it comes down to motivation. It was clear to me that the home team was not motivated to play this game. When compared to expectations for the season, the Blazers have exceeded those and then some. This squad isn’t bad either, but something is brewing and it doesn’t feel good.

Three of the five starters tonight (Simons, Jerami Grant and Deandre Ayton) were the focus of trade talks. These will only increase if the Blazers produce this type of performance every game.

The Jazz outrebounded Portland 61-34. I had to triple check that number because it was so bad. If that didn’t take your breath away, the Blazers also lost the second-chance point contest 4:24.

These embarrassing statistics lead back to the question: Why? The organization may do better if the team loses as many games as possible, but the players should still take pride in their craft and come out and perform every night. The Blazers have talent, but it’s up to them to bring the effort, energy and desire.

Kong and Rob are missing

Portland played its best basketball this season with Donovan Clingan and Robert Williams III manning the middle. Their defense makes a big difference and provides balance with the rest of the team. Tonight the Red Sea split and Utah scored at will in the paint, outscoring the Blazers 76-42 in that category.

The lack of interior defense was the most glaring problem for the Blazers tonight. The Jazz were able to use a pass to get a man under the basket. When Utah’s players turned their defender, there was no help left for the defense. The Blazers weren’t communicating and it showed.

Lack of transition play

The Blazers were down 13-3 at the game’s first timeout because they were beaten in transition. The Jazz were able to convert easy layups and three-point shots in the corner.

In high school you are taught to stop the ball. This is the first line of defense when guarding in transition. The Blazers never did that. Their failure in this basic area opened up opportunities for Keyonte George and Collin Sexton to score and get their teammates involved.

On the other hand, the Jazz also let the Blazers run. The problem for Portland was a lack of execution at the rim and beyond the arc. The Blazers are not a good three-point shooting team, but the Jazz are not a good defensive team, so something would add up. Unfortunately for Rip City, Portland never established an offensive flow or executed a good pick-and-roll. These are needed to open the game.

Where to from here?

Toumani Camara left the game early in the first quarter with an apparent ankle injury. There’s no telling how serious this injury is, but the Blazers will have to make a decision, at least in the short term. Deni Advija has proven to make a solid contribution in the starting XI. He can play minutes at the small forward or power forward spots. His playmaking and shooting abilities will serve the Blazers well.

Next

Box score

The Blazers now travel to Los Angeles to take on the Lakers on Sunday night at 6:30 p.m., Pacific.