The Utah Jazz will travel across the border to take on the Toronto Raptors in a Friday night NBA matchup at the Toyota Center in Houston. With that said, it’s a good time to check out our NBA odds series, which includes a Jazz-Raptors prediction and pick, laid out below.
Utah has gone 27-29 this season to hold down the 10th spot in the Eastern Conference. Utah has lost four of their last six games, falling in the standings. Currently, Utah is on a three-game losing streak, allowing at least 115 points in all three games.
Toronto has struggled to a 26-30 record, sitting in 10th place in the Eastern Conference. Toronto is currently riding a three-game winning streak. Head coach Nick Nurse has made the playoffs in three of his first four seasons as head coach, but that is in danger right now.
Here are the Jazz-Raptors NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NBA Odds: Jazz-Raptors Odds
Utah Jazz: +7 (-106)
Toronto Raptors: -7 (-114)
Over: 230 (-110)
Under: 230 (-110)
How To Watch Jazz vs. Raptors
TV: AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain, The Sports Network
Stream: NBA, NBA League Pass
Time: 7:40 PM ET/ 4:40 PM PT
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Article Continues BelowWhy The Jazz Could Cover The Spread
Lauri Markkanen, who was acquired in the Donovan Mitchell trade, leads the team with 24.7 points (a career high) and 8.6 rebounds per game. Jordan Clarkson is second with 20.9 points and 4.2 assists per game. If these two can put up some big scoring numbers against the Raptors, who have a strong defense, they could certainly turn the tide. Mike Conley, the veteran point guard, leads the team with 7.7 assists, averaging 10.7 points per game. Malik Beasley and Collin Sexton both have key roles to play and are averaging over 13 points per game. In the frontcourt, Kelly Olynyk has averaged 11.6 points and 5.0 rebounds, while providing quality looks from 3-point range.
Utah’s offense has been great, ranking fourth in scoring with 117.5 points per game, seventh with 11.8 offensive rebounds per game, and 10th with 25.8 assists per game. Defense has been a struggle for Utah, allowing 117.1 points per game, which ranks 24th in the league. Utah’s high turnover rate may be to blame for their defensive struggles.
Why The Raptors Could Cover The Spread
Pascal Siakam leads the team with 25.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, and ranks second with 6.2 assists per game. Siakam missed ten games earlier in the season but has been healthy since. O.G. Anunoby leads the team with 2.1 steals per game, also ranking fourth with 16.9 points per game. Anunoby will miss a couple more games with a wrist injury. Fred Van Vleet’s hot shooting has cooled off a bit, yet he still ranks second on the team with 19.6 points while leading the team with 6.6 assists per game. Gary Trent Jr. is third with 18.6 points and tied for second with 1.6 steals per game. Scottie Barnes has put up 15.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game.
Chris Boucher, the team’s main weapon off the bench, has put up 9.9 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. The team has missed Otto Porter Jr., who is now out for the season following foot surgery.
Toronto doesn’t turn the ball over much, ranking first with just 11.8 turnovers per game. The team has averaged 113.0 points per game, which ranks 19th in the league. The defense has been strong, with Toronto leading the league with 9.3 steals per game. Opponents have averaged 112.2 points per game, which ranks ninth in the league.
Final Jazz-Raptors Prediction & Pick
The strong Toronto defense will be the difference in this one.
Final Jazz-Raptors Prediction & Pick: Toronto -7 (-114), under 230 (-110)