The NBA season is a long one, but there comes a moment where it becomes clear that time is running out, a realization that puts a lot of teams into panic mode. In most cases, it is the teams sitting below the playoff line at that time who suddenly realize that they need to kick things up a notch or run the risk of sitting home and watching the postseason play out on television. There is still a lot of basketball to be played this season and we know that fortunes can change quickly. We also know, though, that there are a few teams who have their hands hovering over that panic button. The Portland Trail Blazers may not quite be at that point just yet, but given their current standing in the Western Conference, they certainly need to be a little concerned. Portland will be in Salt Lake City on Friday night to face a Utah Jazz team currently in a decent playoff spot but also in a poor run of form. The Jazz are favored by 8 ½ on home court, with the point total for this one set at 226 ½.
Blazers vs Jazz 2020 NBA Spread, Game Info & Expert Preview
Did you miss us? 🏀 #RipCity at @utahjazz ⌚️ 7:30PM 📺 @NBCSNorthwest / @ESPNNBA 📻 @RipCityRadio620 pic.twitter.com/NXguiMU7mW
— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) February 7, 2020
- When: Friday, February 7 at 10:30 PM EST
- Where: Vivint Smart Home Arena, Salt Lake City
- Radio: Portland / Utah
- TV: ESPN
- NBA Odds: Utah Jazz -9 / Total 226.5
Why bet on the Portland Trail Blazers
It has been an incredibly disappointing season for the Trail Blazers up to this point. They are 4 games below .500 at 24-28, but perhaps more importantly, that record has them sitting below the playoff line in the Western Conference. If there is a silver lining to be found in all of that, it’s that the Trail Blazers are still within reach of the #8 spot in the conference, sitting just 2 ½ games back of the Memphis Grizzlies. While it has not been an emphatically good run of form of late, the Trail Blazers are steering the ship in the right direction, winning 6 of their last 10 games. The Trail Blazers have struggled on the road this season, going 10-17 SU, which included a 121-115 road loss in Utah earlier this year.
Team Stats
Offense- Total Score: 113.48
- Field Goal Percentage: 45.68
- Three-Point Percentage: 36.90
- Free Throw Percentage: 80.96
- Total Rebounds: 45.90
Defense
- Total Score: 115.00
- Field Goal Percentage: 44.86
- Three-Point Percentage: 37.06
- Free Throw Percentage: 76.63
- Total Rebounds: 47.65
Why bet on the Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz are in a somewhat comfortable position in the middle of the playoff pack in the Western Conference, but the reality is that they will not stay there long if they cannot snap out if their current skid. The Jazz are just a game and a half up on the two teams sitting right behind them in the conference and are being sucked back in the wrong direction after losing 5 in a row to fall to 4-6 in their last 10 games. On the positive side of things, the Utah Jazz have been a very tough out in their own building, posting an 18-5 record there this season. They are 12-10-1 ATS in home games this season, but they are also just 0-5-1 ATS overall in their last 6 games.
Team Stats
Offense- Total Score: 110.78
- Field Goal Percentage: 47.17
- Three-Point Percentage: 38.68
- Free Throw Percentage: 76.58
- Total Rebounds: 45.38
Defense
- Total Score: 106.84
- Field Goal Percentage: 44.85
- Three-Point Percentage: 34.11
- Free Throw Percentage: 76.52
- Total Rebounds: 43.10
Blazers vs Jazz NBA Betting Trends
- Portland are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games.
- The total has gone OVER in 9 of Portland’s last 10 games.
- Portland are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games.
- Utah are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games.
- The total has gone OVER in 10 of Utah’s last 15 games.
- Utah are 0-5 SU in their last 5 games.
Blazers vs Jazz Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction
The Utah Jazz will snap out of this slump sooner rather than later and while I think it might happen here, I am not so sure that they will do enough to cover the spread. I think playing the Trail Blazers ATS id the way to go here.
Prediction: Portland Trail Blazers 113 Utah Jazz 116
