Utah Jazz-Trail Blazers key matchup: Mitchell faces McCollum in finale
The Utah Jazz take on the Portland Trail Blazers tonight in a battle for the third seed in the Western Conference. Can Donovan Mitchell contain the slumping CJ McCollum?
Here. We. Go. With a win tonight, the Utah Jazz can capture the third seed in the wild Western Conference. Considering Donovan Mitchell and the Jazz were 19-28 at one point this season, this has been an absolutely incredible and historic turnaround.
Any time you go up against the Portland Trail Blazers, you have to try to slow down the backcourt duo of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. That’s easier said than done. However, McCollum is stuck in a late-season shooting slump, and Lillard is just two games back from an ankle injury he suffered against Dallas, so maybe the Jazz guards can take advantage.
The Blazers come into the game cold, and the Jazz come in the exact opposite. Utah is red-hot right now, and feeling good after a 40-point win over Golden State. Portland has lost four straight games, and seven of their last 11. Utah has won six in a row, and eight of their last 11 games.
Donovan Mitchell has played well against Portland this season, scoring 20-plus in all three meetings so far this season. Utah is going to need another big game from their star rookie in the regular season finale.
McCollum has been great this season, but is slumping badly in the month of April. McCollum is shooting 34.4 percent from the field, and 20.7 percent from deep this month. Portland really needs him to snap out of it as they enter the playoffs.
Despite his shooting slump, McCollum keeps a poised mindset. He’s not going to let his erratic shooting disturb him. He told Jason Quick of NBC Sports that you can’t get caught up on the good performances, or the bad performances.
For the Jazz, the playoffs have already begun. They have been in must-win mode for a while now, and that doesn’t change tonight. Utah vs Portland figures to be an epic battle for the coveted third seed in the Western Conference.
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If Utah defends Portland’s guards well, and keep playing with the offensive flow they had against Golden State, they should come out on top. It’s not going to be easy, Utah is on a back-to-back, and Portland will be a focused, dangerous team.