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NBA Power Rankings Week 5: How good are the Utah Jazz?

By Corey Rausch

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - JANUARY 21: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Utah Jazz in action during a game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Vivint Smart Home Arena on January 21, 2021 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - JANUARY 21: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Utah Jazz in action during a game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Vivint Smart Home Arena on January 21, 2021 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
(Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) /

Previous: 11th. Portland Trail Blazers. 20. team. 34. . 8-6

Last Week: Lost to San Antonio Spurs 125-104, 1/20 vs. Memphis Grizzlies (POSTPONED), 1/22 vs. Memphis Grizzlies (POSTPONED)

This Week: 1/24 vs. New York Knicks, 1/25 vs. Oklahoma City Thunder, 1/28 at Houston Rockets, 1/30 at Chicago Bulls

The Portland Trail Blazers were decimated by injury before the week got underway and then found themselves only able to play one game this week with the Memphis Grizzlies dealing with COVID issues. That one game came against the San Antonio Spurs and it was not pretty.

Three different Spurs dropped 20 or more points that night and the Blazers lost by 21. Damian Lillard scored well but was not enough to get it done by himself. Only Carmelo Anthony and Rodney Hood broke double figures beside Lillard and the rest of the team was generally ineffective.

The Blazers are in a lot of trouble and likely needed a break in the action to try to reset things. CJ McCollum and Jusuf Nurkic have joined Zach Collins on the injured list. With three of their top players out for an extended period of time, it is hard to imagine a world where Lillard is enough to keep this team afloat.

The most bothersome part is the injury to McCollum. One of the most glaring names on the list of best active players to never make an All-Star game, McCollum finally looked on track to make his first appearance before the injury likely removes him from contention. Eventually, something has to break right for Portland, but not this week.