SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Jazz had horrendous shooting nights in consecutive games before facing Portland on Thursday.
Led by Trey Burke, they turned it around in a big way against the Trail Blazers.
Burke scored a season-high 27 points, and Utah cruised to a 109-96 victory over Portland. The Jazz shot 50 percent from the field, making at least half of their shots for the first time since Nov. 25 and just the third time this season.
“We didn’t turn it over and we made shots,” Jazz coach Quin Snyder said. “I don’t know what happens in 24 hours, but a lot of the same looks we had last night, we made them.
“It’s not like we came in and shot last night or anything like that. Just sometimes you have to step away from it and stay confident and keep shooting. I think the second quarter reflected that.”
Burke was 12 for 19 from the field, and Gordon Hayward had 23 points and 10 rebounds for his second double-double of the season. Rodney Hood finished with 18 points, seven rebounds and six assists.
Utah had dropped three of four, including a 94-80 loss at Minnesota on Wednesday night.
The Jazz grabbed control in the second quarter, outscoring the Blazers by 18 after the game was tied at 25 after one. Utah hit four 3-pointers during a 21-3 run.
“(Snyder) just told me if I miss a few shots, he still wants me to play the right way,” Burke said. “But he wants me to still be aggressive. Don’t get down on myself or get discouraged. In the past, sometimes I may have let that get to me.
“We played so bad last night I kept thinking in my head, tonight could be a total opposite for us as a team. It definitely was.”
Portland’s C.J. McCollum scored 32 points, including six 3-pointers. Meyers Leonard had 17, and Allen Crabbe added 15.
The Blazers are 2-3 in their last five games.
“We shot 25 percent, we had eight turnovers and they made 3s,” Blazers coach Terry Stotts said about the second quarter. “Some of them were contested. They had a horrible night shooting the ball last night in Minnesota. They came back and shot the ball well tonight. It’s just one of those things.”
Utah played without Derrick Favors, who has been hampered by back spasms and missed his fourth straight game. The banged-up Jazz also are missing Rudy Gobert (knee) and Alec Burks (lower leg) due to significant injuries.
TIP-INS
Trail Blazers: Portland was held to 14 second-quarter points, the third-fewest it has scored in any quarter this season. … McCollum has scored 20-plus points in nine of his last 12 games.
Jazz: Utah was coming off a 94-80 loss at Minnesota on Wednesday night. It improved to 4-2 in the second game of back-to-backs. … Elijah Millsap had seen an increase in court time due to injuries, but didn’t enter until there was 2:03 left in the game. … Utah shot 35 percent from the floor in the loss to the Timberwolves, and then 50 percent against Portland.
QUOTABLE
“Defensively, we didn’t do a good job pressuring the ball enough,” McCollum said. “I think they were too comfortable, and that led to some easy baskets. Once a team gets comfortable, they begin to make more shots and begin to get excited on defense and then use that as momentum. I think that they were too comfortable today.”
MISSING
Portland played without Damian Lillard, who missed his sixth straight game with plantar fasciitis in his left foot.
UP NEXT
Trail Blazers visit the Nuggets on Sunday.
