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The trade by the Charlotte Bobcats in which they traded Gerald Wallace to the Portland Trail Blazers has finally started bearing fruit for the Trail Blazers.

While Portland is safely in the Western Conference playoffs, they have been in a battle of sorts with the New Orleans Hornets in terms of seeding placement. But Wallace has become a go-to guy in terms of scoring, which the Blazers will need come playoff time.

Meanwhile they had a game Thursday night against the Utah Jazz, a team that is clearly struggling.

To illustrate the Jazz’s struggles, they shot 42 percent to the Trail Blazers’ 45 percent. While neither team shot very well per se, Portland managed to pull away in the third quarter and fend off Utah 98-87 at Energy Solutions Center.

The win put the Blazers one’half game ahead of the Hornets in the Western Conference playoff chase while the loss ensured the Jazz’s second losing season in 28 years.

Portland’s energy was emphasized in the first quarter as they outscored Utah by nine while the Jazz outscored the Blazers 24-22 and would go to their locker room down by the score of 49-42.

Portland would take over in the third, but not before Paul Millsap’s jumper brought Utah to within four; however, the Trail Blazers surged to a 79-64 cushion on Wallace’s free throws with five seconds left in the period. The final period found both teams slowing down markedly, with Portland hanging on for the victory.

Wallace led the Blazers with a game-high 29 points (including four 3-pointers), along with 8 rebounds, 2 assists, a steal and a block while Nicolas Batum added 21 with 3 rebounds, 2 steals and a block. Former Jazz player Wesley Matthews chipped in 18 with 7 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal. LaMarcus Aldridge earned a double-double, scoring 12 with 11 boards while Andre Miller, despite scoring only five points, dished out 12 assists.

The Jazz were led by Devin Harris with 26 points (including five treys), along with 2 rebounds, 5 assists and a block while Millsap added 19 with 10 rebounds, an assist and 2 steals. Al Jefferson and Gordon Hayward each chipped in 10 – with Jefferson grabbing 14 rebounds, dishing out 5 assists, along with 3 blocks while Hayward grabbed 3 boards, dished out an assist, along with a steal.

Portland (46-33) plays again on Friday when they host the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday while Utah (37-42) travels to San Antonio to take on the Spurs on Saturday night.