Golden State at Utah NBA Playoffs Lines & Game 4 Analysis

The Cleveland Cavaliers are the first team to reach the NBA’s version of the Final Four after sweeping the Toronto Raptors. The Golden State Warriors can join the Cavs there with a victory in Salt Lake City on Monday night. Golden State has won the first 3 games of the series against the Jazz and previous to that, they took out the Portland Trail Blazers in Round 1. The Warriors are 8-point NBA betting favorites to finish things off.

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Golden State at Utah NBA Playoffs Lines & Game 4 Analysis

When: Monday, May 8, 9 PM ET Where: Vivint Smart Home Arena, Salt Lake City TV: TNT Stream: NBA.tv Radio: Golden State / Utah NBA Odds: Warriors -8 (206)

Why Bet On Golden State?

The Dubs will again be without head coach Steve Kerr for this one and it’s looking more and more likely he won’t be back in these playoffs. Kerr underwent back surgery nearly two years ago and has been suffering from complications that cause severe headaches, nausea and dizziness. He had been receiving treatment at Stanford University. Warriors assistant Mike Brown has been coaching the team since Game 3 of a first-round sweep of Portland. Golden State hasn’t missed Kerr much as the Warriors haven’t lost in these playoffs yet and only one game has been decided by single digits. The score of Saturday’s Game 3 vs. the Jazz was 102-91. Kevin Durant scored 38 points in magnificent fashion, making 15-of- 26 from the field with 13 rebounds, one assist, one steal, one block and four 3-pointers in 39 minutes. The Warriors had an 11-point advantage, 31-20, with 9:17 left in the second quarter, but the Jazz outscored the Warriors, 30-18, to take a 50-49 halftime lead. Utah opened the third quarter on a 12-4 run for their largest lead of the game and series, a nine-point lead, 62-53. The Warriors tied the score at 68 and took a 72-70 lead into the fourth quarter. Golden State used a 9-0 run to gain a 95-84 advantage with 2:37 remaining and take control of the game. Stephen Curry made 6-of- 20 from the field for 23 points with five rebounds, four assists, no turnovers and three 3-pointers in 37 minutes. The Jazz were able to keep a body on him to prevent some clean looks, but it was still a fine game. That 6-of- 20 looks bad, but he still had a 48.0 true shooting percentage and not turning it over was key. Klay Thompson made 1-of- 9 from the field for six points with one rebound and one steal in 39 minutes. He’s has somewhat disappeared on the stat sheet in this series, averaging just 11.7 points per game so far. The Warriors have won their first 7 playoff games for the first time in franchise history. The victory Saturday night extended the Golden State franchise record to 13 consecutive series in which the Warriors have won at least one road game. The Warriors and Jazz are meeting in the Western Conference Semifinals for the second time in NBA history, the last coming in 2007 with the Jazz winning the series, 4-1. The Warriors hold a 10-6 advantage over the Jazz in playoff games (6-1 in Oakland, 4-5 in Utah).

Why Bet On Utah?

Will point guard George Hill play Monday? He has missed the past two due to a toe injury. The Jazz didn’t practice Sunday, but Hill was among the players there receiving treatment and/or working out on the off day. Jazz coach Quin Snyder said that not much has improved yet for Hill and that he’s questionable. While the Jazz coach would obviously rather be at full strength, Snyder said he remains confident in backup Shelvin Mack’s ability to lead the team in Hill’s absence if the former Butler playmaker continues to play like he has. “He was a bulldog offensively. He was fearless,” Snyder said of Mack. “You’re not always going to make the right play. I’ve had confidence in Shelvin for a long time, and that hasn’t wavered.” Rudy Gobert scored 21 points during the Game 3 loss, adding 15 rebounds, four assists and two blocks in 39 minutes. Gordon Hayward scored 29 points and tacked on two rebounds and a team-high six assists. Rodney Hood made 1-of- 8 from the field for three points with three rebounds, three assists in 32 minutes. Joe Johnson moved to the bench on Saturday, making 3-of- 12 from the field for seven points with six rebounds and one 3-pointer in 24 minutes. Hayward has made 66-of- 70 (.943) free throws in the postseason. He is the only Jazzman in team history to shoot at least .940 percent from the line in the playoffs (min. 40 attempts). Hayward is one of four players remaining in the playoffs (Durant, LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard) averaging at least 24.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game. Gobert is the only player in this year’s postseason to record back-to- back 15-point, 15-rebound games and the only player to post a 20-point, 15-rebound game in the Conference Semifinals this year. It also marked his second consecutive double-double and fourth of the postseason. Gobert is the only player in the Western Conference with multiple double-double streaks in the playoffs. He is the eighth player in this year’s postseason with at least four double-doubles and the ninth Jazzman to record at least four in a single postseason. In the Conference Semifinals, Gobert is averaging 16.7 points, 13.0 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game. In the round, he leads Western Conference centers in scoring and rebounds and ranks third in blocks.

Golden State at Utah NBA Playoffs Pick: Golden State Warriors

I believe Golden State will finish this series but Utah will keep it close enough to cover. The Jazz are 14-11 when facing elimination at home and 5- 2 when facing elimination at home in Conference Semifinal games.