Jazz Humiliate Blazers Utah Wraps Up First-Round Playoff Series

The numbers were almost laughable: 12 points in the first quarter, 24 at halftime, 38 after three quarters.

After coming back from an 0-2 deficit to force a deciding fifth game, the Portland Trail Blazers responded with the worst offensive output in NBA playoff history Sunday in a 102-64 loss to the Utah Jazz.

The 64 points broke the playoff record-low of 68 set by the New York Knicks on May 15, 1994, at Indiana. Portland also supplanted the Los Angeles Lakers’ record 28-point first half on April 7, 1974, at Milwaukee.

“The Jazz were that good, and we were that bad,” Portland coach P.J. Carlesimo said. “They ran out on us and controlled the game. … They jumped on us and didn’t let us get back in the game.”

Utah advanced to the second round to play the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs host Game 1 of the best-of-seven match-up Tuesday.

Portland, which made the postseason for the 14th straight year, was eliminated in the first round for the fourth straight season.

Karl Malone had 25 points and 10 rebounds and John Stockton contributed 21 points and 11 assists. Jeff Hornacek added 11 points and seven rebounds and Bryon Russell had 10 points and eight boards.

“From tipoff to the buzzer, it was the best game we’ve played all season,” Malone said. “It also was a great game for us after all the things that are said about us getting old,” the 32-year-old power forward added. “It was a nice way to end it.”

Stockton, 34, credited the victory to desire. Utah had it, Portland did not.

“We had to have this game, and we went out and got it,” said Stockton. “We made adjustments on their game and we executed the way we’re supposed to offensively.”

Portland’s so-called “Double-S” attack of Rod Strickland and Arvydas Sabonis, who scored 27 and 25 points, respectively, in Game 4, managed just 10 and 14 Sunday.

Strickland was just 5 of 16 and Sabonis was 6 of 16 as the Blazers shot 33 percent. Utah, which shot 46 percent Sunday, also outrebounded Portland for the first time in the series, 54-33.

“We just didn’t do it,” Strickland lamented. “We felt confident; the ball just didn’t go in the hole… We could never get it going.”

“They deserve to go to the next round,” Portland’s Buck Williams said. “We were passive offensively.”

The Trail Blazers came out flat and remained that way, scoring just 12 points in both the first and second quarters as they fell behind by 22 points at halftime. Portland fell behind by as many as 40 in the final period.

Stockton’s 3-pointer at the third quarter’s 9:38 mark made it 53-28, and the Jazz closed out the period with an 11-2 run to lead 70-38 going into the fourth quarter.

Jazz 102, Blazers 64

Portland (64) - C.Robinson 4-9 5-5 13, Grant 2-8 0-0 4, Sabonis 6-16 2-2 14, McKie 2-6 0-0 5, Strickland 5-16 0-0 10, Wingfield 3-8 1-2 9, Dudley 1-2 0-0 2, Williams 1-6 0-0 2, R.Robinson 0-2 0-0 0, J.Robinson 2-5 0-0 5, Trent 0-1 0-0 0, E.Spencer 0-0 0-2 0. Totals 26-79 8-11 64.

Utah (102) - Benoit 1-2 0-0 2, Malone 11-21 3-10 25, F.Spencer 1-2 0-0 2, Hornacek 3-7 5-5 11, Stockton 7-11 5-5 21, Ostertag 2-6 4-6 8, Eisley 0-3 4-4 4, Morris 3-7 0-0 8, Russell 4-8 1-1 10, Carr 2-6 0-0 4, Keefe 0-1 4-4 4, Foster 1-2 1-2 3. Totals 35-76 27-37 102.

Portland 12 12 14 26 - 64

Utah 18 28 24 32 - 102

3-Point goals-Portland 4-11 (Wingfield 2-2, McKie 1-1, J.Robinson 1-3, Strickland 0-1, Grant 0-1, C.Robinson 0-3), Utah 5-16 (Stockton 2-4, Morris 2-5, Russell 1-4, Benoit 0-1, Hornacek 0-1, Eisley 0-1). Fouled out-None. Rebounds-Portland 43 (Sabonis 8), Utah 64 (Malone 10). Assists-Portland 14 (Strickland 8), Utah 23 (Stockton 11). Total fouls-Portland 27, Utah 18. Technicals-Portland illegal defense. Flagrant fouls-Williams. A-19,682 (19,911).