PORTLAND Christian Covington Jersey , Ore. — The No. 3 playoff seed in the Western Conference is on the line Wednesday night at Moda Center when the Portland Trail Blazers play host to the Utah Jazz is what will have all the feel of a playoff game.
Portland and Utah come into the final regular-season game with a 48-33 record, but the teams have taken decidedly different routes to get there.
The Trail Blazers enjoyed a 13-game win streak in late February and early March but enter Wednesday’s contest coming off a four-game losing streak. Utah, meanwhile, joins the Houston Rockets as the hottest teams in the NBA. Since Jan. 24, when they were 19-28, the Jazz are 29-5 and have won six straight coming into the showdown at Portland.
The Jazz aren’t just winning games, they’re beating opponents up. In their recent stretch of victories, they’ve defeated Minnesota 121-97 T.J. Green Jersey , trounced the L.A. Clippers 117-95 and topped the L.A. Lakers 112-97. On Tuesday, Utah annihilated Golden State 119-79 at Vivint Smart Home Arena.
“More than anything, I’m just really proud of our guys,” Utah coach Quin Snyder told reporters. “What these guys did collectively to get better. … I don’t want to diminish what this group has accomplished.”
But the Jazz know there is more to accomplish.
“The next thing is getting that No. 3 spot and homecourt advantage (in the first round of the playoffs),” Utah rookie guard Donovan Mitchell said. “That’s our big goal now.”
Utah will be playing the second of back-to-back games at Moda Center, but Snyder used no player more than 28 minutes in the rout of the defending champion Warriors.
More than a week ago, Portland was one victory away from locking down homecourt advantage. That win never came with the Blazers losing in succession to Dallas, Houston Dontari Poe Jersey , San Antonio and Denver on a highly discouraging road trip. Now, it comes down to one more chance to clinch the No. 3 spot in the West.
Portland’s offense has been struggling in recent games, but never more so than Monday night at Denver, when the Blazers shot 33 percent from the field, including 7 for 33 from 3-point range. Was it a matter of just missing good shots?
“We can shoot the ball,” Portland point guard Damian Lillard said after the Denver game. “If we were shooting bad because we were taking bad shots, then that would be a problem. But we are getting good looks. … We shoot the ball. That’s what our team does. It’s not a concern. It always comes back.”
Portland coach Terry Stotts said he was encouraged by the defense the Blazers played at Denver, holding the Nuggets to 37.3 percent shooting. Another good sign: The performance of center Jusuf Nurkic Braden Smith Jersey , who scored 20 points and collected 19 rebounds — including a career-high eight off the offensive glass — against his old team. Nurkic’s matchup with Utah’s Rudy Gobert will be a key one Wednesday night.
The Blazers will be helped by the return of power forward Ed Davis, who missed four games with a sprained ankle. The veteran reserve, who provides rebounding, defense and energy off the Portland bench, came back to play 15 minutes against the Nuggets and should be closer to 100 percent against the Jazz.
Portland’s starting small forward, Moe Harkless, remains out after undergoing knee surgery March 27. He is expected to be back for the playoffs.
The Oakland Raiders have officially signed free agent linebacker Derrick Johnson to a one-year contract.
Coach Jon Gruden had said last week the sides agreed to terms and the contract became official on Monday. Oakland waived defensive back Darius Hillary to make room on the roster.
The Raiders also signed three players following tryouts at rookie minicamp over the weekend. Oakland gave deals to former Texas running back Chris Warren, Michigan fullback Henry Poggi and tight end Paul Butler from California of Pennsylvania.
Oakland cut running back Elijah Hood Rashard Higgins Jersey , defensive lineman Joby Saint Fleur and fullback Nick Sharga. Hood was a seventh-round pick last year and played one game as a rookie.
The 35-year-old Johnson spent his first 13 NFL seasons with the rival Kansas City Chiefs and will likely fill the role at middle linebacker that NaVorro Bowman played the second half of last season.
Johnson is a four-time Pro Bowler and the career tackles leader for the Chiefs. He appeared in 182 games with 169 starts since being drafted in the first round in 2005. He has 1,262 tackles, 27陆 sacks and 14 interceptions in his career.
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