The Portland Trail Blazers will be playing the top two teams in the Western Conference their next two games and they are beginning with the Utah Jazz. With that said, it’s time to continue our NBA odds series and make a Blazers-Jazz prediction and pick.
The Blazers have won eight of their last ten games and have won four consecutive games as the team currently holds the fifth-best record in the Western Conference of 40-29. On the other hand, the Jazz is coming off a tough loss against the Golden State Warriors but are still holding on to the best record in the league of 50-19.
Here’s how sportsbooks have set the opening Blazers-Jazz odds.
NBA Odds: Blazers-Jazz Odds
Portland Trail Blazers +1.5 (-110)
Utah Jazz -1.5 (-110)
Over 234 Points (-108)
Under 234 Points(-112)
Why The Blazers Could Cover The Spread
Injury Report: Zach Collins (out) and Nassir Little (out).
The Blazers weren’t the most consistent team during the season but they have been able to build some momentum to end the season by picking up big wins against the Brooklyn Nets, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, and San Antonio Spurs.
The offense has not been the issue for the Blazers as they are currently ranked as the 2nd best offensive team in the association. This doesn’t come to anyone’s surprise as they are being led by one of the best backcourts in the league of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum, who are combining for 51.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 12.3 assists per game.
Why The Jazz Could Cover The Spread
Injury Report: Mike Conley (out), Donovan Mitchell (out), and Juwan Morgan (out).
The Jazz has been fantastic this entire season even without their two stars in Conley and Mitchell. During this stretch, Jordan Clarkson, Bojan Bogdanovic, and Joe Ingles have stepped up incredibly on the offensive end of the floor to fill the void left behind by Mitchell and Conley.
The two were combining for 42.8 points while shooting above 40 percent from the field and a very efficient 40 percent from behind the three-point line. Overall, Coach Quin Snyder’s team is very well balanced on the offensive end of the floor and holds the fourth-best rating in the entire association.
On the defensive end, Jazz’s third-best rating in the league is because of the commitment of every single player on the team to take pride in their defensive coverage. Most importantly, the team’s defense is being anchored by their center Rudy Gobert who is averaging 13.3 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game.
The key for the Jazz to cover the spread on Thursday will be to contain the backcourt of Lillard and McCollum for the Blazers which is not on one or two players but the entire team to collectively do.
Final Blazers-Jazz Prediction & Pick
The Blazers and Jazz are both very talented offensive teams that are being led by their backcourt. The difference between the two teams is each of their defensive ratings. The Jazz holds the third-best defensive rating in the league while the Blazers have the second-worst defense. This ultimately does not bode well for the Blazers especially against the fourth-best offensive rating in the league. However, the Jazz will be without two key players in Conley and Mitchell and for that reason alone, the edge to the team that will cover the spread on Wednesday goes to the Blazers. That said, the Blazers will pick up their fifth consecutive win as the Jazz drop a rare second straight loss.
FINAL SCORE PREDICTION & PICK FOR BLAZERS-JAZZ: POR 124, UTA 116 (POR +1.5)
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