PORTLAND, Ore. – Wesley Matthews scored 17 points in 23 minutes as the Portland Trail Blazers built an early lead and bea the Utah Jazz 110-90 in the teams' preseason opener Monday night.
Nicolas Batum started in place of LaMarcus Aldridge and had 13 points in 22 minutes and the Blazers led by as many as 24 points.
Derrick Favors came off the bench with 25 points and 12 rebounds for the Jazz.
Utah was without Paul Millsap, who has right quadriceps tendinitis. Al Jefferson, who has been bothered by a sore left hamstring, started and scored seven points, and newcomer Josh Howard played five scoreless minutes.
The Blazers head to Utah on Wednesday night for the second exhibition, the only warm-up games before the start of the lockout-shortened regular season.
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