The Portland Trail Blazers relied on scoring from a number of faces in their 112-90 victory against the Utah Jazz, as five players reached double-figures and 12 of the 13 who suited up recorded a point. Portland moves to 4-1 on the season with the win.
Deni Avdija led the Blazers with 24 points and five rebounds, remaining the most effective and consistent chess piece in the Blazers’ offense. He shot 50 percent from the field and 3-point range, nailing 10 of 13 free throws. Damian Lillard added 22 points despite a poor shooting performance, while Toumani Camara, Scoot Henderson and Jrue Holiday had 14 points apiece.
The Blazers finished at a not-so-pretty 40 percent clip from the field, but managed a respectable 16-for-44 (36.4 percent) outing from beyon the arc. Utah, meanwhile, shot a dismal 37.2 percent overall and 27.5 percent from 3-point range.
Portland led by as many as 28 points and never trailed by more than a single point. The bench poured in 34 points. The Blazers out rebounded Utah 48-37 and forced 19 turnovers, scoring 20 points off the Jazz’s mistakes.
First game (and win) without Ja
Oct 31, 2026: Portland Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson brings the ball up the court during the first quarter against the Utah Jazz at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Though concerns swirled Portland regarding its guard rotation ahead of the season, a positive was that when injuries inevitably struck, the Blazers would not need to search far for a solid replacement.
With Ja Morant suffering a grade two left hamstring strain against the Memphis Grizzlies — which is sidelining the former All-NBA guard for considerable time, a re-evaluation scheduled in four weeks — Portland’s guard depth was put to the test early in only its fourth game of the season.
They did OK. Henderson received the starting nod. He didn’t do great, shooting 4-for-11 overall and 1-for-4 from three, recording just one assist and four turnovers, posting a -5 plus/minus. His three steals, a game-high, is encouraging, but Henderson remains in a perpetual state of showing flashes over consistent efficient production.
Holiday, meanwhile, shot great off the bench, going 4-for-6 from the field and 2-for-4 from three in 22 minutes, adding four rebounds and three assists. Vit Krejci saw a boost in action, logging just under 24 minutes, and though his shooting woes continued (25 percent from 3-point range) he managed four rebounds, one assist and one steal and put the ball on the floor more than he has all season.
Not amazing production by any reference and Krejci desperately needs to find his shot to justify his minutes, but if he’s not going to convert from deep, the least he can do is find other ways to be productive. Considering how much of a non-factor he’s been in the preseason and handful of regular season games, it’s a slight nudge in the right direction.
But for Portland to survive Morant’s absence, the Blazers need more from Henderson and Krejci moving forward, especially if Lillard’s cold shooting streak continues.
Camara stays hot
Oct 31, 2026: Portland Trail Blazers forward Toumani Camara shoots the ball past Utah Jazz forward/center Lauri Markkanen during the second quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Flying under the radar amidst the chalk of big-time names he plays alongside, Camara is crafting himself a fantastic start to the season.
His 14 points against Utah came in another superb outing, shooting 4-for-9 from three, the only type of shot he registered. Camara is someone fully aware of his role and how essential it is for him to generate points on the perimeter for Portland.
He is a three-and-D guy for a reason, so his 1.5 2-point attempts per game through four contests is exactly what Nori and co should want to see. It means most of his shots hail from outside (7.5 3-point attempts per game), and he’s successfully spacing the floor in an offense that demands it.
Averaging 15.5 points on a 53.3 percent clip from 3-point range, draining 4.5 threes per game, Camara’s hot start is incredible. During Portland’s dreadful 10-16 start last year, Camara shot 33.7 percent from the arc — clearly that’s a much bigger sample size, and Camara’s unlikely to shoot over 50 percent all year, but even through four games last year he was 5-for-18 (27.7 percent).
His volume is up and his percentages are up. That’s all Portland can ask for, and hope it subsides instead of sinks.
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