The Utah Jazz are one of the best defensive teams in the NBA but that unit will be tested on Friday night as reigning NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks make their lone visit of the year to Salt Lake City. The game opened as a pick’em on the NBA odds, but now the Bucks are -1.5 favorites.
How to Bet Bucks vs Jazz NBA Betting Lines & Game Info
- When: Friday, 9 PM ET
- Where: Vivint Smart Home Arena
- TV: NBA League Pass
- Live Stream: NBA League Pass
- Radio: SiriusXM
- NBA Betting Lines: Milwaukee Bucks -1.5 (Total 217.5)
Bucks vs Jazz Last Season
For the second consecutive season, the Bucks and Jazz split the season series, 1-1. Each team won its game in the series at home. Before the last two seasons, the Jazz had won seven straight games over the Bucks. Bucks guard George Hill (2016-17), forward Kyle Korver (2007-10, 2018-19) and guard Wesley Matthews (2009-10) all had stints with Utah in their careers. Korver finished the 2018-19 season with the Jazz where he averaged 9.1 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 54 games.
Why Bet on Milwaukee?
The Bucks won their fourth in a row Wednesday, 129-124 at the Los Angeles Clippers in a potential NBA Finals preview – although Clips star Kawhi Leonard didn’t play. Giannis Antetokounmpo fell one assist shy of a triple-double with 38 points, 16 rebounds, nine assists, four 3-pointers, two steals an, two blocks.
He’s the first player in NBA history to reach those numbers in a game and is the first player since the NBA-ABA merger in 1976 to have 30+ points, 15+ rebounds and 5+ assists in 3 consecutive games. Antetokounmpo now has 232 points, 114 rebounds and 61 assists this season, becoming the first player in NBA history to have 200+ points, 100+ rebounds and 50+ assists through the first 8 games of a season.
George Hill matched his career-high with 6 3-pointers on Wednesday en route to scoring a season-high 24 points. Those 24 points are his most as a Buck and the most he’s scored in a game since the 2017-18 season (26 pts vs. BKN on 2/27/18). He did get elbowed with one minute left, and it immediately swelled up so monitor his status.
Eric Bledsoe recorded his second consecutive 20-point game on Wednesday as he made a season-high 4 3s and scored 20 points. In his last four games, Bledsoe is averaging 18.5 points per game while shooting 52.7% from the field. Brook Lopez blocked a season-high six shots on Wednesday, adding 11 points, 12 rebounds, three assists and one steal.
Over their last three games, the Bucks have trailed for only a total of 3 minutes and 28 seconds. During the four-game winning streak, Milwaukee has won by double digits 3 times, including twice by 20+ points, and led from start to finish in two games.
Team Stats
Offense- Total Score: 122.25
- Field Goal Percentage: 47.70
- Three-Point Percentage: 35.39
- Free Throw Percentage: 70.19
- Total Rebounds: 51.88
- Total Score: 112.00
- Field Goal Percentage: 40.97
- Three-Point Percentage: 35.74
- Free Throw Percentage: 76.92
- Total Rebounds: 48.38
Why Bet on Utah?
Utah improved to 5-3 with Wednesday’s 106-104 win over the 76ers – helped that Sixers star Ben Simmons left early with an injury. Donovan Mitchell had a season-high eight assists on Wednesday, adding 24 points (10-of-23 FGs, 3-of-6 FTs) with five rebounds, one steal and one 3-pointer. Mitchell has still only had one scoring game under 20 points thus far. He’s averaging 25.5 points per game on 50.7 percent from the field.
Rudy Gobert double-doubled against the 76ers, scoring 14 points (4-of-8 FGs, 6-of-8 FTs) with 16 rebounds, three assists, three steals and one block. Gobert ended up fouling out late in the game. He matched his season-highs in both steals and assists. Bojan Bogdanovic scored 20 points on 9-of-18 shooting with six rebounds, five assists, one steal and one block. He helped ice the game with five late points.
Mike Conley struggled from the field yet again, hitting 6-for-15 along with four turnovers. Conley acknowledged that he’s still adjusting to playing with his new teammates in Utah after spending the past 12 years in Memphis.
Improving
“Oh yeah, it’s kind of a little bit out of my routine because I’ve had to watch more film on us than I can on the other teams because I’m still learning,” said Conley. “I’m still used to throwing pocket passes [to Marc Gasol]. … I’ve got a big guy now [in Rudy Gobert] who can go get it. I can throw pocket passes, but it’s a little different.”
Joe Ingles has now played 312 straight games, the longest active streak in the NBA. Also, since the start of the 2014-15 season, Ingles has played in more games (413) than anyone else in the NBA. Utah played Wednesday without backup guards Dante Exum and Emmanuel Mudiay and forward Ed Davis. He will miss a few weeks but Exum (right knee) could be back as soon as Friday vs. the Bucks.
Team Stats
Offense- Total Score: 100.75
- Field Goal Percentage: 46.26
- Three-Point Percentage: 36.94
- Free Throw Percentage: 74.74
- Total Rebounds: 42.50
- Total Score: 96.36
- Field Goal Percentage: 41.62
- Three-Point Percentage: 31.08
- Free Throw Percentage: 77.08
- Total Rebounds: 41.38
Bucks vs Jazz NBA Betting Trends
- Under is 6-2 in the last 8 meetings in Utah
- Bucks are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games on the road
- Bucks are 7-0 ATS in their last 7 games played on a Friday
- The total has gone OVER in 4 of Milwaukee’s last 5 games against an opponent in the Western conference
- Jazz are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games at home
- Jazz are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games played in November
- The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Utah’s last 8 games this season
Expert Final Score Prediction for Bucks vs Jazz
Milwaukee Bucks 108 – Utah Jazz 105
