Utah Jazz vs. Portland Key Matchup: Battle of the scoring point guards

With Donovan Mitchell running the point for the Utah Jazz, it means we will see plenty of the matchup we all really want to see: Mitchell vs. Damian Lillard.

With literally every point guard on the Utah Jazz roster out with injuries, it has forced Donovan Mitchell to step into that role for the past two weeks. During that time, I don’t think I am being biased when I say that he has been nothing short of outstanding.

Including the game where Ricky Rubio went down with an injury against the Milwaukee Bucks, Mitchell has posted averages of 29.4 points, 5.0 assists and 3.7 rebounds per game. The Jazz have also gone 6-1 in that stretch, included six wins in a row. As a team, they have also had a 99.9 Defensive Rating, which is tops in the NBA, and an 8.8 Net Rating, which is fourth best during that stretch.

Now, let’s be as realistic as possible here. During that seven-game stretch, only the Bucks, Lakers and Clippers have winning records, and the Lakers were playing without LeBron James. The Jazz should have been successful, with or without the injuries. This next five-game stretch is going to be much more telling. Here is the upcoming stretch:

• vs. Portland Trail Blazers
• vs. Denver Nuggets
• vs. Minnesota Timberwolves
• @ Minnesota Timberwolves
• @ Portland Trail Blazers

If the Jazz can get through that slate with at least a 3-2 record, most fans should be happy. First things first, they will take on the Portland Trail Blazers, which means non-Utah Jazz fan favorite Damian Lillard will be coming to town. This matchup with the Blazers will be particularly interesting because Damian Lillard and Donovan Mitchell will both be positioned as the starting point guards, and they will likely play the majority of the game matched up against one another.

The Blazers are currently the 4th seed in the West with a record of 28-19, and Lillard is looking just as dominant as last year when he was named First Team All-NBA. Through 47 games, he is averaging 26.1 points, 6.1 assists, and 4.4 rebounds. For his career, Lillard has typically fared well versus the Jazz. He has averaged 26 points a game against them, including a career high, and franchise high, 59 points two seasons ago.

We all know what to expect with Lillard. He is one of the most talented offensive players in the league. He can launch threes at a moment’s notice, and if you come out too hard, he is an extremely capable finisher at the rim. The Jazz have actually played Lillard and the Blazers well this season. They have won both matchups, and have limited Lillard to just 19.5 points per contest.

With those two losses looming, the Blazers will play this one extremely hard in an effort to not lose home court advantage to the Jazz. In order for the Jazz to stretch this current win streak to seven, Donovan Mitchell will need to continue his hot streak of basketball.

After a disappointing start to the season, Mitchell has clearly turned a corner and is now playing on a completely different level. For the month of January, he is averaging nearly 27 points, five assists and four rebounds. He has gotten back to attacking the basket with a vengeance, and is also shooting 42 percent from three.

Simply put, if Donovan Mitchell had been playing like this all season, he would be a lock for the All-Star Game.

The next five games will have potential playoff seeding ramifications, and it all starts with Monday’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers. If the Jazz can get a win, they will climb to within a game of the Blazers in the standings, and they will earn themselves the tiebreaker for future playoff seeding. The Jazz will be asking a lot of Mitchell, since he will have to contain Lillard on the defensive side of the ball, while also carrying the offensive load on the other end.

If Donovan Mitchell can win the matchup against Lillard, the Jazz should be in an excellent position to win this divisional matchup.