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The Utah Jazz (33-35) visit the Miami Heat (36-33) on Monday night! Action tips off at 7:40 p.m. ET. Below we continue our NBA odds series with a Jazz-Heat prediction, pick, and how to watch.
Utah has won two straight games to bump them into ninth place in the Western Conference. The Jazz covered 56% of their games while 56% went over the projected point total. Miami has lost two of its last three games but remains in seventh place in the Eastern Conference. The Heat covered 36% of their game while 54% went under. This will be the second and final meeting between the cross-conference foes. Miami won the first game at the end of December, 126-123.
Here are the Jazz-Heat NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NBA Odds: Jazz-Heat Odds
Utah Jazz: +8 (-110)
Miami Heat: -8 (-110)
Over: 225.5 (-110)
Under: 225.5 (-110)
How To Watch Jazz vs. Heat
TV: ATTSN Rocky Mountain, Bally Sun
Stream: NBA League Pass
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET/ 4:30 p.m. PT
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Jazz Could Cover The Spread
Utah has cooled off since a blazing-hot start to the season but remains firmly in the mix to make the Western Conference play-in game. Despite being sellers at the trade deadline, the Jazz have continued to perform well thanks to their electric offense. Utah averages 117.3 PPG – the sixth-highest mark in the league. The Jazz do a great job of moving the ball and getting their shooters open looks as they rank ninth in assists and sixth in threes per game. They are a sneaky offensive rebounding team as well, holding the fourth-highest offensive rebound rate in the NBA. While the Heat do rebound well, their stingy defense can be vulnerable to the outside shot as they allow the 13th-highest three-point percentage in the league.
Utah is led by Most Improved Player of the Year frontrunner Lauri Markkanen. Markannen has balled out this season, averaging 25.2 PPG and 8.6 RPG. He's been remarkably efficient from all parts of the floor, shooting 50% overall and 40% from beyond the arc. At 7'0″, Markkanen's three threes per game make him incredibly difficult to guard. He dropped 29 points and snagged 14 rebounds the last time these teams met and should be in for a bounce-back night after being held to 13 points on 14% shooting in his most recent outing.
While Markannen has been Utah's most consistent player for the season, Talen Horton-Tucker has exploded in recent games. He is coming off the best game of his career, scoring 37 points, snagging eight rebounds, and dishing 10 assists in their win over the Hornets. That was just the icing on the cake of what has been a breakout month for the 22-year-old. With three-straight 20-point games and a 54% field goal percentage for the month, the former Laker is well-equipped to continue his run of success tonight.
The X-factor for the Jazz tonight is rookie center, Walker Kessler. Kessler has been a strong performer all season but is really making his mark since the All-Star break. Over his last seven games, Kessler averaged 11.9 PPG and 13.1 RPG. While his rebounding has been elite, Kessler's biggest contributions come on the defensive end. He's averaged 4.1 blocks per game over that span and will be tasked with a tough matchup tonight via Miami's Bam Adebayo.
Why The Heat Could Cover The Spread
Miami continues to be a tough matchup on a nightly basis primarily thanks to their elite defense. The Heat allow just 109.4 PPG – the second-lowest mark in the league. They are especially stingy in the paint where they allow the second-fewest points per game. Additionally, Miami does a great job forcing turnovers thanks to the second-highest forced turnover rate in the league. That bodes well for their chances of covering tonight considering the Jazz turned the ball over at the third-highest rate. While they do struggle offensively, the Heat excel at getting to the line where they average the 10th-most made free-throws per game.
Miami is led by veteran forward Jimmy Butler. After coasting for the first half of the season, Butler has been on fire as the Heat look to make a playoff push. In 10 games since the All-Star break, Butler has averaged 26.3 PPG, 6.3 RPG, and 5.0 APG. He's been remarkably efficient on the offensive end, shooting 63% over that span. Additionally, Butler remains a lockdown defender who averages 1.3 steals per game over that span.
Final Jazz-Heat Prediction & Pick
While the Jazz match up well with the Heat, they are banged up on the perimeter. That being said, eight points is too rich for my liking so I'll ride with the road dogs to keep things close tonight.
Final Jazz-Heat Prediction & Pick: Utah Jazz +8 (-108)
