The Utah Jazz lost yet again on Wednesday, this time to the lowly Chicago Bulls, as they continued to slip further away from the good level of basketball they were playing early in the season. With injuries still an issue for Utah, does this team have a prayer against the Denver Nuggets?
Let's get right into the NBA odds with our in-depth preview and NBA picks for Jazz vs. Nuggets on Saturday, March 9.
Jazz vs Nuggets odds
Jazz vs Nuggets predictions
The Utah Jazz were already down Lauri Markkenen and Walker Kessler in the frontcourt when they lost reserve forward Taylor Hendricks early in the week. That put this rim defense, which has carried Utah for most of the season, into great doubt. Kessler is questionable for this game and the pair of Hendricks and Markkenen remain out.
The good news here is that Keyonte George is set to return against Denver, so despite the absence of Markkenen, at least this offense should look a little bit better.
Will that really matter at all on the road vs. the Denver Nuggets? Denver has been the fourth-best defense in the league over the last two weeks and the ninth-best against the 3-pointer in that span. We know the Jazz will do their scoring from outside, even without Markkanen, and we also know Denver will force the issue inside with Nikola Jokic as one of the top teams in terms of attempts per 100 plays around the rim.
Utah’s paint defense has been incredibly compromised without Kessler in the lineup, and now without Hendricks the onus is all on John Collins and a cast of reserves to slow one of the most efficient offenses in the NBA.
Utah’s shooting has been 2.1 points worse on the road this season, where it is just 9-23 straight up. Its defense has been seven points worse per 100 possessions. It’s battered and bruised. This is a spot to play the Nuggets.
My best bet: Nuggets -12.5 (-110 at Caesars)
Jazz vs Nuggets same-game parlay
Nuggets -12.5
Nikola Jokic 25+ points
Keyonte George 3+ made 3s
We’ll start here with Jokic, who’s been on something of a tear and has scored 25 or more in his last three games now. He’s up against a Jazz team that’s seen their rim defense plummet without Kessler, Markkanen, and Hendricks on the floor. On top of that this is a pace-up spot for Denver, so even with the blowout risk, this should still be attainable.
I like George to knock down three triples, which he did in two of his last three games prior to exiting earlier in the week after just five minutes due to injury.
Without Markkanen, there are going to be more 3-point shots to go around, and George should find himself in position to take several of those given the volume we’ve seen out of him in recent games. He was a stunning 6-for-14 from beyond the arc against the Heat last weekend.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
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Jazz vs Nuggets spread and Over/Under analysis
The Nuggets opened as 12-point favorites, and there’s been absolutely no movement towards the Jazz since that number opened. Sure, the market slightly corrected a bit a couple of times, but we’ve seen a steady move towards the Nuggets all day on Saturday, pushing them out to 13-point favorites at certain books.
The total has also seen a similar trend, with the number opening up at 235 given the pace the Jazz can play at. The market has disagreed with this opener, steadily moving the line all the way down to 228.
The Nuggets are the favorite side of just about everyone here, with 69% of spread tickets at DraftKings and 78% of the handle on Denver to cover. That’s in line with the betting trends we’ve seen, and similarly, the total has seen more money (73%) than bets (67%) come in on the Under.
Jazz vs Nuggets betting trend to know
The Nuggets have hit the 4Q Under in 63 of their last 97 games (+25.20 Units / 23% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Jazz vs. Nuggets.
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Jazz vs Nuggets game info
| Location: | Ball Arena, Denver, CO |
| Date: | Saturday, March 9, 2024 |
| Tip-off: | 9:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | KJZZ, Altitude |
Jazz vs Nuggets latest injuries
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