Utah @ Portland preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 21, 2019 ) Portland 109, Utah 104

The Utah Jazz are winners of three straight and nine of 10 as they make their way up the standings in the Western Conference. One of the teams still in front of them in the West are the Portland Trail Blazers, who host the surging Jazz on Wednesday.

Utah is thriving behind the play of its starting backcourt and watched Donovan Mitchell and Ricky Rubio combine for 47 points and 13 assists in a 125-111 win at Minnesota on Sunday. "We were playing the right way," Jazz coach Quin Snyder told reporters. "Our shots were better because of our guards. When we attack the rim, everything else opens up and we get easier shots and shoot better." The Trail Blazers are nearly as hot with wins in five of the last six games and have their own dynamic backcourt with Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum, who recorded his first career triple-double in a 120-111 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday. Portland is enjoying a seven-game winning streak at home and sits in fourth place in the West, two games ahead of Utah.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain (Utah), NBCS Northwest (Portland)

ABOUT THE JAZZ (29-22): Mitchell scored at least 24 points in each of the last 12 games and opened things for his teammates by being aggressive on Sunday. "Donovan started to figure out some angles in pick-and-roll," Snyder told reporters. "When we attack the rim, all of those things start to open up." Mitchell is averaging 28.1 points on 45.1 percent shooting in January after managing 18.2 points while shooting 38.1 percent from the floor in December.

ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (31-20): McCollum collected 28 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists against the Hawks and is averaging 26.3 points over the last three contests. "Honestly, I was just trying to get through the game and get home and relax, watch some Netflix," McCollum told reporters. "But the last couple possessions where I was like, 'Ah, I've got a chance to get it so if the play is there, I'll throw it, if not, I'm shooting it.' That's kind of how I've always played. It's nice to get a triple-double but it takes a lot of help from other guys setting screens, sacrificing - and Moe (Harkless) made a good finish because I was about to shoot it. I was like, 'Oh he's open.' So, I tried to make the pass." Lillard sat out Saturday with a knee injury and is day-to-day.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Trail Blazers SG Seth Curry started in place of Lillard on Saturday and scored a season-high 22 points.

2. Jazz PF Jae Crowder made at least three 3-pointers in each of the last four games.

3. Utah took two of the first three meetings, including a 120-90 triumph at Portland on Dec. 21.

PREDICTION: Trail Blazers 113, Jazz 112