The Utah Jazz (9-3) take on the Atlanta Hawks (7-3) on Wednesday. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 pm ET. Below we continue our NBA odds series with a Jazz-Hawks prediction and pick.
Utah is a surprising 9-3 on the season and has won three straight games. The Jazz have been just as good against the spread, covering in nine of their 12 games. They've slightly favored the under this year, as five of their 12 games have gone under.
Atlanta is 7-3 following their third consecutive win over Milwaukee on Monday. The Hawks have covered 50% of their games, while six of their 10 matchups have gone over.
The Jazz won both meetings between the two teams last year by 18 and 12-point margins. Both matchups went under tonight's 226.5-point total.
Here are the Jazz-Hawks NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NBA Odds: Jazz-Hawks Odds
Utah Jazz: +3.5 (-112)
Atlanta Hawks: -3.5 (-110)
Over: 227.5 (-110)
Under: 227.5 (-110)
Why The Jazz Could Cover The Spread
Utah has been one of the most surprising teams in the league thus far. After trading away two of their franchise cornerstones in the offseason, Utah was widely projected to tank this season. However, the Jazz have done the opposite as they currently hold sole possession of first place in the Western Conference.
The Jazz have had one of the best offenses in the league to start the season. They rank second in points per game and fifth in offensive efficiency. Offensively, Utah features a balanced attack with seven players averaging over nine points per game. They are one of the most three-happy teams in the league (fourth in three-pointers attempted per game) and hit them at the 11th-highest rate in the league.
Leading the way offensively is skilled forward Lauri Markkanen. Playing for his third team in three years, Lauri is averaging a career-high 21.9 points per game while also corralling 8.8 rebounds per game. The 6'11” forward is shooting a career-best 52.9% from the field despite shooting a career-worst 29.7% from three. Lauri is one of the most skilled big men in the league and has shined as the go-to scorer for Utah. For his career, Lauri has averaged 16.6 points and 7.3 rebounds against Atlanta – aiding his case for another strong performance tonight.
On the perimeter, guards Jordan Clarkson and Collin Sexton have been stellar to begin the year. Clarkson, a long-time bench player, has already started more games this season than his previous seven years combined and he's responded terrifically. He's averaging 18.3 points and 5.2 assists per game while shooting a career-best 42.1% from beyond the arc. Sexton, on the other hand, has served as the team's sixth man after starting his first few seasons with Cleveland. He's responded well to his new role – averaging 14.6 points and shooting 47.5% from the field.
Why The Hawks Could Cover The Spread
Atlanta had an up-and-down start to the year but have really hit their stride of late – notably handing the first-place Bucks their first loss of the season on Monday. Atlanta, too, features an elite offense that ranks sixth in points per game and 12th in offensive efficiency. They've made strides on the defensive end compared to last year, ranking 11th in defensive efficiency and 15th in points allowed.
The Hawks are led by the dynamic backcourt of Trae Young and Dejounte Murray. Young is questionable for tonight's game but even if he's absent the Hawks are in good hands. After spending his first five seasons as San Antonio's point guard, Murray has made a seamless transition to playing off the ball more in Atlanta. Murray is averaging a career-high 22.3 points per gamer while still averaging stellar assists numbers (8.4 APG – sixth in the NBA). He's also been a pest on the defensive end where he's swiped 2.5 steals per game. He's coming off one of his best games as a Hawk in the win over Milwaukee – something to keep in mind when making a Jazz-Hawks prediction.
The X-factor for Atlanta, however, is forward De'Andre Hunter. After missing a majority of last season due to injury, the former fourth-overall pick has bounced back with a stellar all-around season. Hunter is an impactful defender capable of locking up his own man while possessing strong awareness on the help side. However, it has been his offense that has really stood out this year. Hunter's averaging 14.4 points per game while shooting 41% from three. His size and length have long provided the Hawks with defensive versatility. It's his progression as a shooter, though, which has done wonders in opening up their offense.
Final Jazz-Hawks Prediction & Pick
Atlanta is red-hot after their beatdown of the Bucks and I don't expect anything to change tonight as they defend their home court.
Final Jazz-Hawks Prediction & Pick: Atlanta Hawks -3.5 (-110)
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