Two teams that got dismantled in blowout fashion Friday night go head-to-head Saturday night in the City of Brotherly Love, as the Philadelphia 76ers host the Utah Jazz.
The 76ers are coming off a 128-92 drubbing at the hands of the Knicks, sending them to their second loss in three games. That hasn’t stopped the books from making them hefty 12.5-point favorites in the NBA odds.
Utah, meanwhile, just got dusted in Boston, snapping their three-game win streak.
Find out below how I expect things to shake out at Wells Fargo Center, offering my free NBA picks for Jazz vs. 76ers.
Jazz vs 76ers odds
Jazz vs 76ers predictions
Despite their recent struggles, a zoom-out to the Philadelphia 76ers' recent play should be noted. They’re 11-4 over their last 15, pumping out nearly 120 points per game, shooting 48.4% from the field and 36.6% from distance.
Already fifth overall in scoring defense surrendering 111 points per game, the Sixers have clamped down over this stretch, surrendering just 108.4 points, with teams shooting 45.5% from the field and a grim 32.2% from beyond the arc.
It’s enough to consider Friday’s 128-92 shredding at the hands of the Knicks a very noticeable speed bump in the schedule. Aside from Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Kelly Oubre, who all finished in double digits, no other player contributed more than five points.
The bench scored just 15 points and got outscored by 34 to the New York reserves.
The Utah Jazz taking a 126-97 clubbing at the hands of the Celtics is also not indicative of how the Jazz have been playing of late. They entered Friday’s tilt averaging 132.7 points on their three-game fun run, including hanging 154 on Detroit in the previous game to win in overtime.
The Boston beatdown started in the first quarter and was put to bed by halftime, as Utah was outscored 30-15 after a quarter and trailed 71-40 after 24 minutes.
Despite the setback, Utah is 7-3 in their last 10, piling up a 121.6 scoring average, powered by nearly 30 assists per contest. They’ve been outscoring their problems on this run, as they’re allowing 116.5 points per game, with teams shooting 46.8% from the field and 38% from distance.
There's obviously no value in taking the moneyline with Philly and they’re a sharp 5-2-0 ATS as a double-digit favorite on the season, but that’s come against some weak competition: the Wizards twice, the Pistons twice, and the Hornets once. Philly is also just 2-3-0 ATS on the second night of a back-to-back.
Utah isn’t great, but they’re playing their best ball of the year, are a very respectable 20-15-0 ATS on the season, and have not lost by double digits in the last four meetings. The line is long enough for me to splash on the underdog.
My best bet: Jazz +12 (-110 at FanDuel)
Jazz vs 76ers same-game parlay
Jazz +12
Joel Embiid Over 33.5 points
If you’re going to take one of these huge scoring lines in a same-game parlay, it might as well be the NBA’s leading scorer.
Joel Embiid is on some kind of tear, topping 30+ points in 16 straight games and 19 of his last 20, upping his average to 34.8 points per game on the season. He’s hitting at a crisp 53.9%, while pulling down 11.8 boards, adding 6.2 assists, and living at the foul line at 11.6 attempts per game.
Embiid has played the Jazz four times in the last three seasons, and he’s had some explosive games against the Jazz, most notably a 59-point, 11-rebound, 8-assist gem last season. In 2020-21, he dropped 40 points and added 19 rebounds in a 131-123 win.
If my prediction for being a close one is accurate, then the reigning MVP is going to have to carry his squad and pour on the points.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
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Jazz vs 76ers spread and Over/Under analysis
The 76ers have been favored by as many as 13.5 points on the spread against the Jazz, but it’s since dropped mostly to 12.5 points.
Philly has the third-best cover rate in the NBA, going 23-11-0 ATS, but Utah has covered the spread in three of the last four meetings.
The total has stayed above 237 points the entire time, and you can find most books offering it at 237.5, with a few books bringing it up a full point.
Both teams have been successfully cashing the Over: the Jazz have seen the Over go 19-15-1 in their games, while Philly's O/U record checks in at 20-12-1.
That being said, the Under has hit in three of the last four games — all three of those Unders came in at 218 points or lower.
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Jazz vs 76ers betting trend to know
The Jazz have lost each of their last 25 road games vs. teams with a winning record. Find more NBA betting trends for Jazz vs. 76ers.
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Jazz vs 76ers game info
| Location: | Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA |
| Date: | Saturday, January 6, 2024 |
| Tip-off: | 7:30 p.m. ET |
| TV: | KJZZ, NBCS-Philadelphia |
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