PORTLAND (ABC4 Sports) - The Utah Jazz got blown out for the second straight night, losing to the Portland Trail Blazers, 121-105 for its fourth loss in a row.
Jerami Grant scored 30 points and the Portland Trail Blazers snapped an eight-game losing streak.
Utah fell to 4-11 on the year, the third worst record in the Western Conference. This is the Jazz worst start to season since 2013, when it began the year 1-14.
Malcolm Brogdon added 20 points and eight assists, and Jabari Walker came off the bench to score a career-high 19 with 10 rebounds. The Blazers led by as many as 32 points.
Lauri Markkanen had 24 points for the Jazz, who have lost five straight and eight of their last 10.
Jazz head coach Will Hardy's frustration is growing with the team's poor start.
“The only two things that I care about are: play hard and pass,” Hardy said. “And we’re at a point now where if you’re not willing to do both of those things you cannot play for the Utah Jazz.
“We are either going to dig in and have the ability to learn or we’re going to have to make some real changes with who’s playing in the games, because 16 turnovers in a half is unacceptable.”
Blazers rookie guard Scoot Henderson played after missing nine games with a sprained right ankle. The No. 3 pick did not start, but came into the game to cheers with 4:14 left in the first half. He finished with three points and seven assists in 17 minutes.
Both teams were playing the second night of back-to-backs. The Blazers fell 120-107 on the road against the Phoenix Suns in an In-Season Tournament game on Tuesday night.
The Jazz lost 131-99 on the road to the Lakers in a tournament game.
“There's some decision-making things that need to be cleaned up, a willingness to pass early that needs to continue to be emphasized," Hardy said. "That's something that we've fluctuated in this year. We've been good at times and bad at times."
Hardy shook up his lineup a bit against the Blazers, starting Kelly Olynyk for the first time this season.
The Blazers appeared to be returning to nearly a full lineup after a spate of injuries. In addition to Henderson, Brogdon returned from a sore hamstring against the Suns and scored 19 points.
But Portland was still without guard Anfernee Simons, who tore a ligament in his right thumb in the season opener.
Portland built a 36-21 lead after Kris Murray's basket midway through the first half. The Blazers led 65-46 at the break, and Grant led all scorers in the half with 11 points.
Grant's layup capped a 9-2 Blazers run that stretched the lead to 77-55 in the third quarter. He finished with five 3-pointers to match his season high, and the Blazers had a season-best 17 3s.
Utah next hosts New Orleans in a pair of games on Saturday and Monday.