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We're ready to bring you our predictions and picks for today's wild slate of action around the NBA. This next game features two teams coming in off wins as the Utah Jazz (10-17) visit the Cleveland Cavaliers (15-12). This is just one of the two meetings the teams will have all season. Check out our NBA odds series for our Jazz-Cavaliers prediction and pick.
The Utah Jazz are currently fourth in the Northwest Division and they've gone 4-6 over their last 10 games. They've seen some success recently and have won three of their last four, so they'll have some momentum to build upon in this game as slight underdogs. They're also hoping to improve on their 2-12 record in road games this season.
The Cleveland Cavaliers are currently second in the Central Division and trail the Milwaukee Bucks by 4.5 games. They're 6-4in their last 10 games coming in and have a chance to string together their third win in a row if they're able to top this Jazz squad. They're dealing with some key injuries so this next month will be crucial for them in staying in the Eastern Conference race.
Here are the NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Jazz-Cavaliers Odds
Utah Jazz: +5 (-114)
Cleveland Cavaliers: -5 (-106)
Over: 227 (-112)
Under: 227 (-108)
How to Watch Jazz vs. Cavaliers
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET/ 4:00 p.m. PT
TV: Bally Sports Ohio, NBA League Pass
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why The Jazz Could Cover The Spread
The Jazz are struggling to find their identity as a team and it's manifested itself into their inconsistencies. They have talented players both in their frontcourt and backcourt, but they've had trouble syncing solid performances between the two. Last game, both Talen Horton-Tucker and Collin Sexton notched 27 points each and led the Cavs past the Nets. They also performed well during their prior win against the Trail Blazers, so it's clear they'll need to play a bigger role with players missing time to injury. Keyonte George and Jordan Clarkson continue to miss time, but it's giving other players solid run while filling in.
Walker Kessler and Lauri Markkanen both returning and sharing the floor has proven to be a massive boost for this Jazz team. They haven't seen much action alongside each other this year, but their ability to spread the floor and rebound as a tandem makes the Jazz a much more dangerous team. During their last win, the duo combined for 34 points and 24 rebounds. Against a depleted Cleveland frontcourt, expect both Markkanen and Kessler to have solid games in the paint.
Why The Cavaliers Could Cover The Spread
The Cavaliers are dealing with some crucial injuries of their own as they'll have to move forward without Darius Garland and Evan Mobley for at least the next month. With Donovan Mitchell stepping up to take care of ball-handling duties, Isaac Okoro and Dean Wade will have to step up in their absence. Sam Merrill stepped up in a huge way with a career-high 19 points off the bench. With Mitchell leading the scoring charge, it's promising to see players make impacts off the bench and contribute on defense. While they narrowly escaped the Rockets in their last game, it was a huge confidence booster knowing they could win shorthanded.
This will be a revenge game for Donovan Mitchell and he's bound to have a solid game against his former team. It'll be interesting to see how Jarrett Allen deals with the bigs of Utah without his partner Mobley, but Dean Wade can be a crafty defender and does a good job rebounding the ball. The Cavaliers will have to remain disciplined and not allow high-percentage shots down low. The Jazz are great at passing the ball inside and through the paint, so the Cavaliers should look to collapse their defense inside and forced them to shoot the ball from outside.
Final Jazz-Cavaliers Prediction & Pick
Both teams are dealing with some crucial injuries and it'll be interesting to see which team can exploit the better mismatch. Donovan Mitchell will have a favorable matchup against his former team and should be looking to attack the rim and force Utah's bigs into foul trouble. However, Utah will be the bigger team inside and they could find an advantage through the mismatches of Lauri Markkanen and Walker Kessler.
For our prediction, we're going to roll with the Utah Jazz to get this win on the road. While they've struggled all season, this should be a solid spot for them and they can have a chance to win if they dominate the paint numbers.
Final Jazz-Cavaliers Prediction & Pick: Jazz +5 (-114)
