SALT LAKE CITY — For Davion Mitchell, even amid the pain, there are no second thoughts when it comes to attempting to run through brick walls. It is, the Heat point guard said, simply how he is wired.

No, there was no pleasure taken in having to sit out Thursday night’s loss to the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center, the third stop of the Heat’s five-game western swing that continues to Saturday night against the Utah Jazz at the Delta Center.

But Mitchell — as he deals with a nasty shoulder contusion that already has cost him three games — said he will continue to do it again and again when it comes to aggressively fighting through screens, amid opponents attempting to escape his defense.

“That’s just who I am, honestly,” said Mitchell, who re-upped with the Heat last summer on a two-year, $24 million contract. “That’s how I got in this league. That’s the reason the Miami Heat fell in love with me, and the way I’ve played on that end of the floor. And I love doing it.

“It’s not like I feel like I got to do it. I just love doing it. It makes the game fun for me, so I’m just going to keep doing it.”

While it’s not as if Erik Spoelstra’s preference was to have to start rookie Kasparas Jakucionis in Thursday night’s loss to the Blazers that dropped the Heat to 1-2 on this trip, it’s just that the Heat coach appreciates that Mitchell only knows one way.

“You’re not having that conversation with him,” Spoelstra said with a smile. “He’s a pit bull, so he’s going to try to fight through all the screens, and that’s what makes him who he is. He loves to defend. He loves to take the challenge.

“In this modern-day NBA, you’re going to deal with 50, 60 pick-and-rolls on a nightly basis. If you’re guarding one of the main options, then you’re going to probably have 25 of those.”

Plus other contact plays, including the bump with Jimmy Butler during Monday night’s loss to the Golden State Warriors that left Butler sidelined for the season with a torn ACL.

Mitchell said it’s not as if he is choosing a reckless approach, sizing up opposing screen-setters ahead of each game, assessing when to go shoulder first and when to perhaps consider at least a degree of caution.

“I think that obviously you know who the screen setters-are,” he said. “The really good screen-setters, the ones that set a legal one, you kind of know that before the game, watch a film.”

So Spoelstra leaves that assessment to Mitchell, who is listed as questionable for Saturday night.

“It takes courage, it takes toughness to be able to fight through screens,” Spoelstra said. “He’s been able to do that. He’s built like a tank.”

And if it means having to play shorthanded, Spoelstra said those are the realities of the NBA grind, with the Heat’s Kel’el Ware (hamstring) and Tyler Herro (ribs) already back in Miami dealing with injuries.

“This is the NBA right now,” Spoelstra said. “Everybody’s got guys in and out of lineups, so you have to do your diligence. On a nightly basis, particularly you get to January, you’re going to have different guys playing than in November.”

Injury report

In addition to Mitchell, guard Norman Powell (back) also is listed as questionable for Saturday. Listed as probable is forward Pelle Larsson (finger).

Back in Miami received treatment for the Heat are Tyler Herro (ribs) and Kel’el Ware (hamstring), with two-way players Vlad Goldin and Jahmir Young remaining on G League assignment, and with Terry Rozier on his NBA-mandated leave.

For the Jazz, the Heat’s on-court reunion with Kevin Love will have to wait, with Love (knee) ruled out for Saturday, as are Utah teammates Walker Kessler (shoulder) and Georges Niang (foot).

Doubtful for the Jazz is Jusuf Nurkic (illness), but Lauri Markkanen (return to competition reconditioning) has been upgraded to questionable and could be making his return.