Walton is a die-hard fan of the Trail Blazers, but that doesn't mean he's blindly supporting them.
His analysis is very accurate; on paper, the Jazz are at a significant disadvantage this year, with no chance at all.
Stockton not only is injured this year with declining form, but the Trail Blazers have also reinforced with Brellock specifically targeting Stockton.
On the bench, Kobe is more mature, and it's unlikely for Stockton to have an explosive performance like last year.
On paper, there's a 90% chance of losing, and the Jazz's remaining 10% chance of winning depends on luck and personal determination.
However, in terms of survival instinct, the Jazz are not as strong as the Trail Blazers.
As soon as the game started, the Trail Blazers played aggressively, with Gan Guoyang repeatedly driving into the lane to draw fouls.
Ostertag and Malone each received a foul, Gan Guoyang made all free throws, and the Trail Blazers took the lead.
