Trail Blazers Update Damian Lillard's Status for Jazz Matchup in SLC

The Portland Trial Blazers will be short handed against the Utah Jazz on Saturday night.

The Portland Trail Blazers will be without All-Star point guard Damian Lillard when they face the Utah Jazz Saturday night in Salt Lake City. The Trail Blazers' leading scorer will miss his seventh straight game, but TNT's NBA insider Chris Haynes is reporting that Lillard should be back soon and is targeting December 4 as a possible return date.

"Damian Lillard is targeting a return date of December 4th here in Portland against the Indiana Pacers."@ChrisBHaynes shares the latest timetable on Damian Lillard pic.twitter.com/INj9lQxYbq

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) November 30, 2022

Portland will also most likely be without shooting guard Josh Hart, who is listed as doubtful with an ankle injury/

The Jazz catch a break and will need to win the games they're favored in if they want to stay competitive in the Western Conference. As it stands now, Utah is the sixth seed and only 2.5 games behind the top spot, but also two games removed from not making the play-in game.

This will also be the second game in a back-to-back matchup, but fatigue shouldn’t be a problem thanks to a blowout win over the Indiana Pacers on Friday night.

The Jazz will continue to play without veterans Rudy Gay and Mike Conley. Backup point guard Collin Sexton has filled in nicely in Conley's absence. 

Before Conley’s injury, the fifth-year pro's primary role was as a scorer off the bench, but since becoming a starter, Sexton has averaged six assists a game. Despite all the tangibles working in Utah’s favor, the team is only a four-point favorite at home.

Tip-off is at 7:00 pm MDT.

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