Portland Trail Blazers Defeat Utah Jazz 135-119 as Jrue Holiday Scores 31 and Donovan Clingan Posts 23 and 18 Amid Jazz Turmoil

The Portland Trail Blazers earned a 135-119 road win over the Utah Jazz on Thursday night as Jrue Holiday delivered a season high 31 points in a game overshadowed by Utah roster upheaval and a significant NBA fine.

In this breaking update from Salt Lake City, Portland improved to 27-29 behind Holiday’s all around performance that included nine rebounds and seven assists. Rookie center Donovan Clingan added 23 points, 18 rebounds, seven assists, and three blocks in one of the most productive outings of his young NBA career.

The victory marked Portland’s fourth win in five games and reinforced its push to remain competitive in the Western Conference play in picture.

Utah entered the night facing substantial challenges. The Jazz announced that Jaren Jackson Jr., recently acquired in a trade with the Memphis Grizzlies, will undergo knee surgery after a post trade physical revealed a benign growth in his left knee. Jackson did not play. Earlier in the day, the NBA fined Utah 500,000 dollars for violating the league player participation policy after sitting Lauri Markkanen and Jackson during recent fourth quarters in games at Orlando and Miami.

Markkanen was held out Thursday for rest on the second game of a back to back, and Keyonte George missed the game with a sprained right ankle. Utah fell to 18-38 amid growing uncertainty around its rotation and long term outlook.

Despite the absences, the Jazz remained competitive into the fourth quarter. Brice Sensabaugh led Utah with 28 points, while rookies Ace Bailey, Kyle Filipowski, and Isaiah Collier each scored 15. Two way player Blake Hinson scored 11 points in his NBA debut and cut the deficit to 111-108 with a three point shot before Portland responded with an 11-2 run capped by a Holiday layup to secure control.

The turning point came in the third quarter. Clingan anchored a 10-0 run as Portland outscored Utah 40-23 in the period, extending a 75-65 advantage and breaking open the game with interior dominance and ball movement.

Utah’s depth was further tested when Vince Williams Jr., also acquired from Memphis, received two technical fouls and was ejected before halftime. Oscar Tshiebwe required stitches above his eye after contact in the first quarter and entered concussion protocol. Veteran forwards Kevin Love and Jusuf Nurkic were available but did not play.

Portland was also short handed. Deni Avdija missed the contest with a back issue, and Shaedon Sharpe was unavailable due to a calf injury. Jerami Grant contributed 18 points, while Scoot Henderson added 15 in his fourth game of the season, signaling continued reintegration into the rotation.

From a broader perspective, the impact of this result extends beyond the score. For Portland, Holiday’s expanded offensive role and Clingan’s development provide stability amid injuries. For Utah, the combination of medical setbacks, league discipline, and lineup inconsistency raises questions about roster construction and the team’s timeline moving forward.

What this means in the short term centers on availability. Jackson’s surgery timeline, Markkanen’s workload management, and George’s recovery will influence Utah’s approach for the remainder of the season. The NBA fine also places additional scrutiny on future rotation decisions.

Next steps are immediate. Portland hosts Denver on Feb. 20 in a key Western Conference matchup, while Utah travels to Memphis on Feb. 20 in Jackson’s former home arena.