Rodney Hood returns from injury with a rusty start: It wasn't the greatest return from injury for Rodney Hood. Shots were short all night for the Utah Jazz's starting shooting guard. His explosion to the rim off the dribble wasn't there, and there were times he was frustrated by the shots he was missing. All the same, it was a return, and Hood was glad to get out onto the floor. In what was an 88-84 preseason loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night, Hood was happy to work out the kinks in a game that didn't count. Now, he can move on to the real thing. -- The Salt Lake Tribune

Damian Lillard scores 27 as Jazz fall in preseason finale: Quin Snyder and Terry Stotts would have made lousy scalpers heading into Wednesday night's preseason finale at Vivint Smart Home Arena. "I don't know if either team is going to go out there and really compete to try to win a game," Stotts, the head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, predicted before tipoff. Snyder, meanwhile, was looking for a "good balance" between improving his team's timing and connectivity — "getting something out of the game," he said — and making sure his remaining players were healthy and fresh for the start of the season. Save your money, they seemed to say, we're saving the fireworks for next time. -- The Salt Lake Tribune

Ready or not, Jazz have to start keeping score: Looking ready to play, Gordon Hayward and Alec Burks arrived at Vivint Smart Home Arena just in time for the Jazz's final preseason game Wednesday. Too bad those determined, eager faces are merely the window decorations on the southeast side of the building. The Jazz completed their six-game exhibition schedule with an 88-84 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers, theoretically serving as a preview of next Tuesday's regular-season opener in Portland. -- -- The Salt Lake Tribune

Derrick Favors’ agent says they are open to contract extension talks: Utah Jazz power forward Derrick Favors is "amiable" to working out a contract renegotiation and extension, but that no such deal is "imminent," his agent told The Tribune on Wednesday. Favors became eligible to receive an extension on Wednesday. He has two seasons — including the upcoming season — remaining on his current deal, which pays him almost $11 million this season and close to $12 million next season. "We are definitely open to talking," Wallace Prather, Favors' agent, told The Tribune. -- -- The Salt Lake Tribune

Hood plays as Jazz fall to Blazers, 88-84: In the final preseason game for both the Jazz and the Blazers, former Weber State player Damian Lillard put on a show for the Wildcat fans in attendance, scoring 27 points as the Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Utah Jazz 88-84 on Wednesday night. “It’s not like you need reminding, but you get reminded when you play Portland how good Damian Lillard is,” Jazz head coach Quin Snyder said. -- Deseret News

GM survey says Utah Jazz improved themselves this offseason: The Utah Jazz made several moves this offseason that garnered the attention of media members, basketball pundits, players and a re-energized fan base. Another group that took notice of how the Jazz acquired veterans George Hill, Joe Johnson and Boris Diaw? NBA general managers. While front-office personnel around the league aren’t predicting a championship parade anytime soon, the GMs are quite impressed with what Dennis Lindsey & Crew did this summer. -- Deseret News