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Boozer, Jazz seek second straight road win, face Trail Blazers

Apr 4, 2007 - 4:54 PM Utah (48-25) at Portland (29-44) 10:00 pm EDT

PORTLAND, Oregon (Ticker) - Coming off a crucial victory, the Utah Jazz will try to avoid a letdown Wednesday against the Portland Trail Blazers, who have lost four straight games.

On Sunday, Utah registered an 86-83 victory at Houston that opened 1 1/2 games between the teams in the race for the fourth-best record in the Western Conference and home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

The win also snapped a six-game road losing streak for the Jazz, who have clinched the Northwest Division title - their first division crown since 2000. They are in the playoffs for the first time since 2003.

Utah has won five of its last six meetings with Portland, including two of three at the Rose Garden.

On Saturday, Portland absorbed a 99-86 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. It was its first game without leading scorer and rebounder Zach Randolph, who will miss the rest of the season after having surgery on his right hand.

Rookie Brandon Roy scored 23 points and Raef LaFrentz added a season-high 15 for Portland, which lost a season-high five in a row from November 25-December 3.

Rookie forward LaMarcus Aldridge is expected to play Wednesday after leaving Saturday's game with dizziness.

The teams have split two games this season, with each winning at home. Portland's 103-100 victory February 20 ending a five-game slide in the series.

The teams meet again April 16 in Utah.