The Portland Trail Blazers and Utah Jazz will meet Oct. 11 in CenturyLink Arena, bringing NBA basketball back to the Treasure Valley for the first time in 10 years.
The game was announced Thursday afternoon by Idaho Stampede ownership and other officials. The Stampede are an NBA Development League affiliate of the Blazers.
Ticket info is being released Thursday afternoon.
About the Blazers: Coached by Terry Stotts ... LaMarcus Aldridge leads the team in scoring (20.7 ppg); J.J. Hickson leads the team in rebounding (10.6 rpg) ... Team is 29-34 this year and wouldn't make the playoffs if the postseason started today (though within 3.5 games of current No. 8 seed Lakers).
About the Jazz: Coached by Tyrone Corbin ... Al Jefferson leads the team in scoring (17.5 ppg) and rebounding (9.2 rpg) ... Team is 33-32 this year and wouldn't make the playoffs if the postseason started today (though within a half game of current No. 8 seed Lakers).
The Treasure Valley has hosted NBA exhibition games in the past, involving the Jazz, Knicks, Sonics, Nuggets, Wizards and Lakers. The last game was played in October 2003, when the Jazz beat the Knicks 81-65 before 9,114 fans at Taco Bell Arena.
The Idaho Center in Nampa has hosted an NBA exhibition game, and Boise State once was a training camp site for the Jazz.
The Stampede are down to their final six home games of their D-League regular season, including games Friday and Saturday against Tulsa. Both start at 7 p.m. at CenturyLink Arena.
