Utah Jazz travel to Denver panning for an upset
Utah Jazz travel to Denver panning for an upset
Separated by just 2.5 games in the Western Conference race with the season winding down, the Jazz and Nuggets meet in the nightcap of TNT's NBA doubleheader. Utah, currently in the 7-hole of the West, could really shake things up with a win at Denver's Pepsi Center where the Nuggets are favored by 4. In the evening opener on TNT, LeBron James and the Cavaliers travel to Washington to face the 17-&-59 Wizards.
It seems that it was just yesterday that the Washington Wizards and Cleveland Cavaliers were on equal footing in the middle of the pack of what was then considered the Leastern Conference.
Actually, it was only last season when Washington bowed out to Cleveland in six games in the first round of the NBA playoffs – the second straight season in which the Wizards saw their year come to an end at the hands of King James and the Cavs.
Times have changed, albeit in polar opposites for both franchises. The Wiz are nearing the end of a dismal season that started with Washington as a sleeper play in the East, while the Cavaliers head into the stretch drive as the best wager against the number in the Association.
Cleveland at Washington
Thursday, Apr 2, 8:00 p.m. (ET)
What’s ironic is Cleveland (61-13, 45-29 ATS) is currently going through one of its worst stretches at the window despite playing its best basketball of the season with Ben Wallace (shin) on the sidelines. The Cavs have won 13 straight and 17 of their last 18 games, but are a pedestrian 8-10 ATS during the streak. Public bettors are finally catching up with the Cleveland money train that’s been rolling since November.
The Wizards (17-58, 28-45-2 ATS) are above water against the number despite losing seven of their last eight games; Washington is a modest 5-3 ATS during its most recent string of losses, and could be set to sneak in another cover against Cleveland. The Wiz have played the Cavs tough this season, having paid for bettors in both of the previous meetings.
Washington managed to drop Cleveland 80-77 on January 4, covering the 9-point home dog tag in the process. Antawn Jamison went for 26 points and 13 rebounds for the Wizards, who held LeBron to 18 points and six assists in the upset.
Gilbert Arenas is expected to be in the lineup on Thursday, although he’ll likely sit out Wednesday night’s affair in Memphis as he works his way back from his knee injury. Juan Dixon (ankle) and Darius Songaila (neck) are questionable for Washington, which continues to take the floor without Brendan Haywood (wrist) and DeShawn Stevenson (back).
Utah at Denver (-4, 209)
Thursday, Apr 2, 10:30 p.m. (ET)
It’s going to be difficult for the Utah Jazz (46-28, 37-37 ATS) to cover on the road against the Denver Nuggets (49-26, 40-34-1 ATS), considering how poorly Jerry Sloan’s bunch has played away from home this season.
Utah’s 14-22 SU road record doesn’t tell the whole story for handicappers. The Jazz are an even worse 12-24 against the number in those 36 games, and have yet to pick up a win away from home against a current Western Conference playoff team.
Utah has taken two of three against Denver dating back to the season opener on October 29, although both victories came at EnergySolutions Arena. More importantly, the Nuggets have taken the paycheck home for their backers in all three meetings, which have all played under the total set by oddsmakers.
You’d like to give the Jazz a mulligan for their 117-97 drubbing at the hands of the Nuggets back on January 25, as Denver cashed easily as 8-point home chalk. Carlos Boozer was still on the shelf because of his knee injury, and his absence in the paint was a factor in the Nuggets’ dominance inside: Nene had 28 points and nine rebounds for Denver, which held Utah to just under 40% shooting in the win.
The Jazz come into the game performing very poorly for bettors, who have overvalued Utah since Boozer returned to the lineup last month. Sloan is still trying to find ways to get more minutes for backup power forward Paul Millsap, and the going hasn’t been easy; the difficulty is Millsap occupies the same spot in the offense as Boozer. The Jazz have lost four consecutive (2-2 SU, 3-1 O/U) and eight of their last 10 games ATS (5-5 SU), while falling to seventh in the Western Conference standings.
Another reason to side with the favored Nuggets is the recent history between the teams. The club giving points is 22-9-1 against the number in the last 32 meetings, which speaks volumes about both franchises’ well-known home court advantage.
Separated by just 2.5 games in the Western Conference race with the season winding down, the Jazz and Nuggets meet in the nightcap of TNT's NBA doubleheader. Utah, currently in the 7-hole of the West, could really shake things up with a win at Denver's Pepsi Center where the Nuggets are favored by 4. In the evening opener on TNT, LeBron James and the Cavaliers travel to Washington to face the 17-&-59 Wizards.
It seems that it was just yesterday that the Washington Wizards and Cleveland Cavaliers were on equal footing in the middle of the pack of what was then considered the Leastern Conference.
Actually, it was only last season when Washington bowed out to Cleveland in six games in the first round of the NBA playoffs – the second straight season in which the Wizards saw their year come to an end at the hands of King James and the Cavs.
Times have changed, albeit in polar opposites for both franchises. The Wiz are nearing the end of a dismal season that started with Washington as a sleeper play in the East, while the Cavaliers head into the stretch drive as the best wager against the number in the Association.
Cleveland at Washington
Thursday, Apr 2, 8:00 p.m. (ET)
What’s ironic is Cleveland (61-13, 45-29 ATS) is currently going through one of its worst stretches at the window despite playing its best basketball of the season with Ben Wallace (shin) on the sidelines. The Cavs have won 13 straight and 17 of their last 18 games, but are a pedestrian 8-10 ATS during the streak. Public bettors are finally catching up with the Cleveland money train that’s been rolling since November.
The Wizards (17-58, 28-45-2 ATS) are above water against the number despite losing seven of their last eight games; Washington is a modest 5-3 ATS during its most recent string of losses, and could be set to sneak in another cover against Cleveland. The Wiz have played the Cavs tough this season, having paid for bettors in both of the previous meetings.
Washington managed to drop Cleveland 80-77 on January 4, covering the 9-point home dog tag in the process. Antawn Jamison went for 26 points and 13 rebounds for the Wizards, who held LeBron to 18 points and six assists in the upset.
Gilbert Arenas is expected to be in the lineup on Thursday, although he’ll likely sit out Wednesday night’s affair in Memphis as he works his way back from his knee injury. Juan Dixon (ankle) and Darius Songaila (neck) are questionable for Washington, which continues to take the floor without Brendan Haywood (wrist) and DeShawn Stevenson (back).
Utah at Denver (-4, 209)
Thursday, Apr 2, 10:30 p.m. (ET)
It’s going to be difficult for the Utah Jazz (46-28, 37-37 ATS) to cover on the road against the Denver Nuggets (49-26, 40-34-1 ATS), considering how poorly Jerry Sloan’s bunch has played away from home this season.
Utah’s 14-22 SU road record doesn’t tell the whole story for handicappers. The Jazz are an even worse 12-24 against the number in those 36 games, and have yet to pick up a win away from home against a current Western Conference playoff team.
Utah has taken two of three against Denver dating back to the season opener on October 29, although both victories came at EnergySolutions Arena. More importantly, the Nuggets have taken the paycheck home for their backers in all three meetings, which have all played under the total set by oddsmakers.
You’d like to give the Jazz a mulligan for their 117-97 drubbing at the hands of the Nuggets back on January 25, as Denver cashed easily as 8-point home chalk. Carlos Boozer was still on the shelf because of his knee injury, and his absence in the paint was a factor in the Nuggets’ dominance inside: Nene had 28 points and nine rebounds for Denver, which held Utah to just under 40% shooting in the win.
The Jazz come into the game performing very poorly for bettors, who have overvalued Utah since Boozer returned to the lineup last month. Sloan is still trying to find ways to get more minutes for backup power forward Paul Millsap, and the going hasn’t been easy; the difficulty is Millsap occupies the same spot in the offense as Boozer. The Jazz have lost four consecutive (2-2 SU, 3-1 O/U) and eight of their last 10 games ATS (5-5 SU), while falling to seventh in the Western Conference standings.
Another reason to side with the favored Nuggets is the recent history between the teams. The club giving points is 22-9-1 against the number in the last 32 meetings, which speaks volumes about both franchises’ well-known home court advantage.