Jazz Goes Cold, so Trail Blazers Have Final Word : West: Portland wins series by ending Utah’s domination at the Delta Center, 105-97.

So much for the NBA’s most formidable home-court advantage. So much for the Utah Jazz. So much for the Western Conference, period.

The Portland Trail Blazers conquered them all in one swoop Thursday night, gaining a 105-97 victory at the Delta Center to advance to the NBA finals for the second time in three seasons.

The Jazz came into the game with a 45-4 record in its first season in the building, including 8-0 in the playoffs, and had not lost since the Lakers passed through on March 27. But the winning streak ended in large part because of a streak of another kind, the kind of shooting woes that don’t strike teams with three potent weapons.

Not usually, at least.

Looking to have the most successful season in franchise history not end at home in a 4-2 series loss, the Jazz went nine for 40 in the second half. The starters were five of 29. Karl Malone, who tried to make up for it with a game-high 19 rebounds, was two of eight after making five of his first six shots. John Stockton and Jeff Malone, the starting guards,

were a combined two of 15.

If misery loves company, the Jazz can take some solace. At least everyone went down together.

“I thought we missed some shots we could have made,” said Stockton, who made five of 19 shots for 18 points and had 12 assists without any residual problems from the eye injury suffered in Game 5. “They kept the pressure on us on offense. They kept scoring.”

So the Trail Blazers did, though shooting 48.8% overall with 50 second-half points was not overwhelming. But combined with the effect of one of the league’s best defenses--Portland was third-best in shooting-percentage behind San Antonio and Detroit--the Trail Blazers earned a spot against either Cleveland or Chicago when the finals begin Wednesday.

“At least half of it was our defense,” said Terry Porter, who had 18 points and 10 assists, one of seven Trail Blazers to score in double figures. “We did a great job not allowing them easy opportunities, making them make the extra pass, trying to keep the ball away from the big three (Stockton and the Malones). We wanted to make somebody else beat us.”

Nobody could. A mild celebration followed in the Portland locker room, though it was more like an appreciation. Celebrations will be saved for the biggest prize.

“There are little bits of celebration,” Clyde Drexler said. “I think the guys are more focused. They know what it takes to get there (the finals). And we don’t want to be happy just to get there.”

The Jazz took a 21-8 lead, but even more encouraging was the play of Stockton, especially in that he showed no hesitation to go down the lane after getting poked in the eye when Drexler drove on him before halftime of Game 5. Stockton had two baskets in Utah’s first three possessions, and both came in the lane.

“John was just pushing the ball down our throats,” Portland Coach Rick Adelman said. “We were trying to withstand that charge and stay close.”

That plan worked for a while, though the Jazz never trailed in the first half. The Trail Blazers made up the early deficit to pull within 35-34 early in the second quarter, before Utah got a double-digit lead back, 48-38, then held on for a 59-55 lead at intermission.

The final Jazz baskets of the half were two driving layups by Stockton, giving him 10 points and 10 assists in the first two quarters. Another boost came from Blue Edwards, already having a better showing in the early going after being a non-factor Tuesday night at Portland in his first start since facing the Clippers in the opening round. Replacing David Benoit, home in Louisiana for the funeral of his father Saturday, Edwards had 13 of his 15 points in the first half.

The Trail Blazers needed three possessions into the third quarter to take the lead, 61-59; the Jazz doing its part by missing three consecutive inside shots and having another blocked by Jerome Kersey. The Jazz never moved back ahead in the period, but stayed close, an accomplishment in itself considering Utah went four for 18 from the field.

It was 77-77 heading into the final 12 minutes, and the Trail Blazers dug in. A Game 7 might have been waiting at Portland, but the memory of Utah taking them into overtime was still vivid enough to instill the motivation.

“Going into the fourth period, we talked about this being our best quarter,” Adelman said. “It had to be. We didn’t want to leave anything on the floor for Saturday.”

The only thing the Trail Blazers left behind in Utah was the Jazz, and that they won’t miss.