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Blazers roll past Jazz

Dec 10, 2013 - 6:44 AM Salt Lake City, UT (SportsNetwork.com) - LaMarcus Aldridge poured in a game- high 24 points to lead the Portland Trail Blazers to a 105-94 win over the Utah Jazz.

Damian Lillard scored 18 points, Wesley Matthews netted 16 and Robin Lopez added 15 points and 11 rebounds for Portland, which has won 16 of its last 18 games.

"We knew it wasn't going to be the same as the previous game. Blowouts happen in the NBA. Especially when you face another team so soon, you know you are going to get their best effort," said Lopez.

Alec Burks scored 20 points off the bench added Enes Kanter had 19 while, Gordon Hayward and Trey Burke finished with 17 and 15 points, respectively for the Jazz, who have lost their last four games.

Burke knocked down two free throws with 5:45 to play to bring the Jazz within seven. Aldridge, though scored four straight to put Portland back up by 11.

The Jazz answered on a Richard Jefferson fadeaway 17-footer, with 2:42 to play, that started the 6-2 run before the trey's that sealed the win.

A pair of Hayward free throws capped a 6-2 run and brought the Jazz within five points, 97-92, with 1:28 to play.

Portland answered with consecutive 3-pointer's, one from Nicolas Batum and the other by Lillard, to go up by 11 points and put the game away with 38.9 seconds to play.

"You play good 'D' for like 22, 23 seconds, and they hit the crazy shots. It's tough, but that's basketball. We just need to learn how to close the games," said Kanter.

Aldridge scored six of the Blazers first eight points of the third quarter as Portland built a lead as large as 15 points before taking a 77-64 lead into the fourth.

After seven lead changes and two ties, Portland led 36-35 with 4:42 left in the second quarter and the Trail Blazers had a six point advantage, 51-45, at the half.

The Jazz held a slim margin for most of the first but Mo Williams got a floater to drop in as time expired to knot the game at 22-22 after the first.

Game Notes

Portland snapped a four-game skid in Salt Lake City ... Batum had 11 assists for Portland ... Utah will travel to Sacramento to face the Kings Wednesday ... Portland hosts the Houston Rockets Thursday.