The Portland Trail Blazers and Utah Jazz faced off tonight in Portland's fourth pre-season game, an 88-81 victory for the Blazers in Energy Solutions Arena. For links to stats and a recounting of the game--including video of Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum getting ejected for a Flagrant 2 foul against Gordon Hayward--check out our Instant Recap.
Portland superstar Damian Lillard did not play in this game; he is still nursing an ankle injury. McCollum started in Lillard's absence. Despite being down their most important player, the Blazers gave a decent accounting of themselves on a night when the opponent played a style of defense likely to become de rigueur in the regular season.