Utah Jazz, Blazers happy with bench play

In an interesting coincidence, both the Utah Jazz and the Portland Trail Blazers ended the preseason feeling more comfortable with some of their backups.

Portland charged to a double-digit lead despite having their three key players — Greg Oden, Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge — only playing the role of observers.

Utah, meanwhile, rallied and ran away from the Blazers for a preseason-ending 100-89 win Thursday night at EnergySolutions Arena despite having their team leader on the bench in stylish but casual dress duds.

The two players filling in for the injured Deron Williams, who's sidelined with a sprained left ankle, each sparked the second-half surge that helped the Jazz finish the exhibition schedule with a 4-3 record.

Ronnie Price, the former Utah Valley star who started in place of Williams, was on the court when the Jazz turned up the defensive heat and fought to within three points of the Blazers by the end of the third quarter after trailing by 14 at halftime.

Brevin Knight, an 11-year veteran the Jazz traded for this summer, then took the playmaking baton from Price and helped Utah blow the game open in the fourth quarter.

Though Williams' starting job is obviously still his when he returns — and he hopes that he might be able to do just that by next Wednesday's season-opener against Denver — but the battle for the No. 1 backup position could be just heating up.

Price finished with eight points and six assists and said Thursday "wasn't a great game for me." Knight, who's been limited in practice and the preseason due to an injured left thumb, had four points, seven fourth-quarter assists and four steals in an energetic performance and was just happy to get some playing time.

Like good point guards, they each dished out praise to the other.

"He played a helluva game tonight," Knight said of Price. "He deserves to be out there and play."

"Brevin did a great job controlling the (game) in the end," Price said. "Look at his track record. He hasn't been around just to be around. He's been around for a reason — that's because he can play. He provides a presence on the court that shows that he's a leader and he knows what he's doing."

Though Jerry Sloan conceded that Knight seemed to have better control of the offense — at least in the second half after the entire team struggled in the first two quarters — the Jazz coach said Price will remain the starter/the No. 1 backup behind Williams.