Shaedon Sharpe and Deni Avdija both scored 27 points to lead the Portland Trail Blazers past the Utah Jazz, 122-120, on Thursday night. Scoot Henderson delivered the game-winning shot with 0.1 seconds left to cap off a tightly contested battle.
Henderson’s tiebreaking turnaround jumper secured Portland’s 10th win of the season, improving their record to 10-20. Henderson also contributed 18 points, 10 assists, and one turnover in a highly efficient performance. Deandre Ayton recorded a double-double with 18 points and 12 rebounds, while Jerami Grant added 14 points.
Utah, now 7-22 on the season, was led by Lauri Markkanen, who tallied 25 points on 8-for-14 shooting. Collin Sexton added 19 points, while Svi Mykhailiuk contributed 18 points, hitting six three-pointers.
Portland’s acting head coach Nate Bjorkgren filled in for Chauncey Billups, who was absent due to the passing of his grandmother.
The Trail Blazers outscored the Jazz 50-36 in the paint, overcoming a rough shooting night from Anfernee Simons, who went 3-for-12 from the field. Avdija was a key spark off the bench, adding eight rebounds and six assists to his scoring output.
For Utah, Mykhailiuk’s six triples helped the Jazz outshoot Portland from beyond the arc, hitting 50% (21-of-42) compared to Portland’s 39.5% (15-of-38). Despite this, the Jazz struggled to contain Portland’s balanced attack and inside presence.
Markkanen carried the offensive load for the Jazz in critical stretches but received limited support from the starting lineup. Walker Kessler’s defensive effort, including 16 rebounds and two blocks, wasn’t enough to slow down Portland’s late-game surge.
