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The Oklahoma City Thunder will travel to take on the Utah Jazz in a Thursday night NBA matchup at the Vivint Arena in Utah. With that said, it’s a good time to check out our NBA odds series, which includes a Thunder-Jazz prediction and pick, laid out below.
Oklahoma City has struggled to a 28-29 record, going 6-6 following their four-game winning streak. The Thunder now find themselves in 10th place in the Western Conference. Head coach Mark Daigneault has not won more than 24 games in his previous two seasons at the helm of Oklahoma City.
Utah has gone 29-31 this season to hold down the 11th spot in the Eastern Conference. Utah has lost five of their last seven games, falling in the standings. The team will need a quick turnaround with the end of the season staring them in the face. Head coach Will Hardy is in his first season at the helm of Utah.
Here are the Thunder-Jazz NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NBA Odds: Thunder-Jazz Odds
Oklahoma City Thunder: -1 (-108)
Utah Jazz: +1 (-112)
Over: 241 (-110)
Under: 241 (-110)
How To Watch Thunder vs. Jazz
TV: Bally Sports Oklahoma, AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountian
Stream: NBA, NBA League Pass
Time: 9:10 PM ET/ 6:10 PM PT
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Thunder Could Cover The Spread
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has broken out in a big way, averaging 30.8 points, and 1.6 steals per game, both of which lead the team. Over a full season, Gilgeous-Alexander’s scoring output would set a new career high. However, the rebuilding efforts for Oklahoma City were set back when Chet Holmgren was lost for the season back in August.
Josh Giddey, who went sixth overall in 2021, leads the team in rebounding and assists with 7.8 boards and 5.9 assists per game, providing size in the absence of Holmgren. Giddey also ranks second on the Thunder with 16.3 points per game. Lu Dort is third with 1.0 steals, scoring 14.0 points per game, while also turning the ball over less than twice per game. Jalen Williams ranks fourth with 12.2 points and second with 1.2 steals per game.
While Oklahoma City has put up the most shots in the league, they are shooting just 47.1 percent from the field, which ranks 18th. Oklahoma City has averaged 117.9 points per game, which ranks third in the league. The defense has been lacking, as opponents have averaged 116.2 points per game, which is 20th in the league.
Why The Jazz Could Cover The Spread
Lauri Markkanen, who was acquired in the Donovan Mitchell trade, leads the team with 24.9 points (a career high) and 8.6 rebounds per game. Jordan Clarkson is second with 21.0 points and 4.2 assists per game. If these two can put up some big scoring numbers against the Thunder, who have a porous defense, they could certainly turn the tide of their recent struggles. 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. Sexton will miss this one. In the frontcourt, Kelly Olynyk has averaged 12.1 points and 5.3 rebounds, while providing quality looks from 3-point range.
Utah’s offense has been great, ranking fifth in scoring with 117.6 points per game, seventh with 11.8 offensive rebounds per game, and 10th with 25.7 assists per game. Defense has been a struggle for Utah, allowing 117.2 points per game, which ranks 24th in the league. Utah’s high turnover rate may be to blame for their defensive struggles.
Final Thunder-Jazz Prediction & Pick
Expect a ton of offense in this one, and Oklahoma City has a ton of scoring talent to win this one.
Final Thunder-Jazz Prediction & Pick: Oklahoma City -1 (-108), over 241 (-110)
