The Portland Trail Blazers’ dwindling postseason hopes took another blow with Anfernee Simons being ruled out for Wednesday’s game at the Utah Jazz.
Simons, out with foot soreness, will join Jerami Grant (quad bruise) on the bench.
If it seems like since January 1, the Blazers have rarely had Damian Lillard, Jusuf Nurkic, Simons and Grant all healthy and rolling, that’s because they haven’t. And that’s been part of the team’s problem this team.
The Blazers, when that group along with Josh Hart played together, went 18-15 this season. The aforementioned foursome rarely saw the court together the past three months.
If the Blazers are going to make one last desperation attempt to reach the postseason, they must win at Utah. The 13th-place Blazers trail the 10th-place Jazz by four games. A win would make it three with three very winnable games coming up at home against Chicago, seventh-place Oklahoma City (36-36) and 12th-place New Orleans (35-37).
Win at least three of those four and the Blazers would at least have a pulse with two weeks remaining in the season.
But the Blazers winning two of their next four, let alone three out of four, appears highly unlikely given that the Blazers’ key players can’t remain healthy.
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS AT UTAH JAZZ
What: Trail Blazers (31-40) at Jazz (35-36), 6 p.m. Wednesday.
Where: Vivint Arena, Salt Lake City.
Radio: Rip City Radio (KPOJ 620 AM).
TV channel: Root Sports Plus (in Portland: Comcast 1253; Comcast: 687-1).
Watch the game live online: You can watch this game live for FREE with fuboTV (free trial). You can also get this game on DirecTV Stream’s “CHOICE” package (promotional offers), if you are out of fuboTV trials, or simply prefer that platform and their pricing plans. If you already have a cable or satellite provider that carries Root Sports and want to watch online, you can watch this game live on Root Sports Live.
ODDS (Oregon Lottery/DraftKings)
Moneyline: POR +140 | UTA -165
Spread: POR +4 | Over/Under:
INJURIES
Blazers: Nassir Little (concussion) is questionable. Anfernee Simons (right foot soreness), Jerami Grant (left quad contusion), Justise Winslow (left ankle sprain) and Ibou Badji (left knee soreness) are out.
Jazz: Lauri Markkanen (back soreness) is questionable. Jordan Clarkson (finger sprain) and Collin Sexton (left hamstring sprain) are out.
NEXT UP
The Blazers host the Chicago Bulls at 7 p.m. Friday.
— Aaron Fentress | afentress@Oregonian.com | @AaronJFentress (Twitter), @AaronJFentress (Instagram), @AaronFentress (Facebook). Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts
