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We're back to bring you our predictions and picks for Wednesday's full slate of action in the National Basketball Association. We head to the Midwest to catch the Utah Jazz (2-6) take on the Indiana Pacers (4-3) as we begin our coverage. Check out our NBA odds series for our Jazz-Pacers prediction and pick.
The Utah Jazz are struggling coming into this matchup as they've lost their last three consecutive games. Four of their losses so far have been by double-digits, so it's clear this team has trouble coming from behind and winning improbable games. Still, they have talent in their roster and hope to get back on track against the Pacers.
The Indiana Pacers are second in their division behind the Milwaukee Bucks and got their most impressive win of the season beating the Spurs 152-111 in their last game. It was Head Coach Rick Carlisle's 900th career win and the Pacers will be determined to make it 901 against the Jazz in this one.
Here are the NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Jazz-Pacers Odds
Utah Jazz: +6 (-110)
Indiana Pacers: -6 (-110)
Over: 240.5 (-110)
Under: 240.5 (-110)
How to Watch Jazz vs. Pacers
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET/ 4:00 p.m. PT
TV: Bally Sports Midwest, DirecTV Sports Net Northwest, NBA League Pass
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
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Why The Jazz Could Cover The Spread
The Utah Jazz have shown glimpses of fun, complementary basketball, but they've struggling to come from behind and make games close in the fourth quarter when they're down. Lauri Markkanen has made massive leaps in his game and is becoming the leader for this team. Late in games, they'll look towards guys like Talen Horton-Tucker and Jordan Clarkson to create their own shot, but clearly they haven't been in good situations to have the ball with the game on the line. With the addition of John Collins down low, we should be seeing this Jazz team perform better in the paint.
Lauri Markkanen is the only Jazz player averaging more than 20 points this season, so they'll need to find more consistent ways to score the ball on offense. Markkanen has already seen a fair share of gameplanning around him, so they'll need Jordan Clarkson to step up and have one of his vintage shooting streaks to have a chance here. The Jazz will have the advantage in terms of size in the paint, so look for them to work their defense from the inside as they try to contain Indiana's shooters on the wings. It'll be a tough matchup for them in terms of scoring, but the Jazz can cover this spread on the back of their defense.
Why The Pacers Could Cover The Spread
Head Coach Rick Carlisle got his 900th career win in the NBA with the Pacers' last win over the Spurs, but he'll be the first to tell you that he wants to make it 901 as soon as possible. The Pacers put themselves on the map with their destruction of the San Antonio Spurs. All the talk was surrounding Victor Wembanyama, but the Pacers quickly turned the narrative and hung up 152 points on their young opponents. They'll be oozing with confidence as they hope to continue their hot shooting in this one. They managed to go 53% from three during their last game, so don't be surprised if they continue letting it fly from three to ride their momentum.
Tyrese Haliburton is emerging as a star in the Eastern Conference and he is undoubtedly the motor that drives this team. He's a fluid scorer and can create his own shot, but the Pacers play their best ball when he's flirting with double-digit assists numbers. Very few young players in the league can consistently pump out 20-10 numbers, so the Pacers have a future franchise star on their hands with Haliburton. If he can continue to spread the ball around and keep himself involved in the scoring, this Pacers team becomes very hard to stop.
Final Jazz-Pacers Prediction & Pick
The Utah Jazz will be desperate for their first win after three-straight losses and they're happy to have a day of rest ahead of this contest on the road. Lauri Markkanen will have plenty of opportunities to find his scoring touch throughout this one, but expect John Collins to give him some issues with the physicality on defense. As far as the perimeter goes, Utah has the more lethal scorers, but the Pacers are playing much better as a unit right now.
Expect Tyrese Haliburton and Benedict Mathurin to give this Jazz team fits on defense all night. The Jazz have the talent, but the Pacers are playing with a certain chemistry right now that seems tough to beat. For our prediction, we'll ride with the Indiana Pacers to cover this spread.
Final Jazz-Pacers Prediction & Pick: Indiana Pacers -6 (-110)
