The Portland Trail Blazers and Utah Jazz face off at the Moda Center on Friday, December 6, with a tip-off scheduled for 7:00 p.m. PT. As two of the few rebuilding teams in the competitive Western Conference, it's unsurprising that both teams are struggling heading into the matchup.
The Jazz have the second-worst record in the West at 4-17, only ahead of the injury-riddled New Orleans Pelicans. Utah is looking to snap a five-game losing streak. Meanwhile, the Blazers are third-worst in the conference with an 8-14 record. The Blazers are also trending in the wrong direction after losing two games in a row and six of their last eight.
Here are the injury reports for the Blazers’ home game against the Jazz:
Blazers injury report vs. Jazz on Friday, December 6
- Scoot Henderson: OUT (quad contusion)
- Donovan Clingan: OUT (knee sprain)
- Matisse Thybulle: OUT (ankle sprain)
- Robert Williams III: OUT (concussion protocol)
Utah Jazz injury report
- Lauri Markkanen: OUT (back)
- Jordan Clarkson: OUT (plantar fasciitis)
- Taylor Hendricks: OUT (fibula fracture)
- Kyle Filipowski: OUT (G League, lower leg)
- Cody Williams: OUT (G League)
It remains to be seen if Scoot Henderson will play, whose last game was Nov. 27 in their loss to the Indiana Pacers.
UPDATE: Henderson and Markkanen have been ruled out.
The Blazers and Jazz bench both take significant injury hits but on different ends of the court. Portland is missing multiple key defensive players between elite rim protectors (Clingan and Williams) and a wing-stopper (Thybulle).
Utah's injuries come more on the offensive end, missing Clarkson's 15 points per game. It's also worth noting that Taylor Hendricks is out for the season after undergoing surgery on his broken right leg and dislocated ankle.
Projected starting lineups for Jazz vs. Blazers
Here is who Chauncey Billups will likely start for Portland:
- PG: Anfernee Simons
- SG: Shaedon Sharpe
- SF: Toumani Camara
- PF: Jerami Grant
- C: Deandre Ayton
And these are the five that Jazz head coach Will Hardy could go with:
- PG: Keyonte George
- SG: Collin Sexton
- SF: Lauri Markkanen
UPDATE: Svi Mykhailiuk has been named the starter in place of Markkanen.
- PF: John Collins
- C: Walker Kessler
One thing to monitor for the Blazers is whether Deni Avdija will eventually get back into the starting lineup. He's been playing much better lately, particularly as a shooter, connecting on 46.5 percent of his threes in the past ten games.
If Avdija continues to play at this rate, Billups will have a difficult decision to make. Toumani Camara has proven to be worthy of staying as a long-term starting forward for Portland. The solution to their starting lineup dilemma could be moving Jerami Grant, but it could be challenging to find a trade partner willing to take on his massive contract, as he's still owed over $100 million.