Utah Jazz vs. Portland Trail Blazers Prediction, Preview, and Odds

Utah Jazz (4-10) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (3-11)

The Utah Jazz and Portland Trail Blazers are scheduled to play at 10:00 ET at the Moda Center in Portland, OR, with coverage on ROOT.

The Jazz, currently favored by 3 points, face the Blazers in this Northwest division clash, with the game's over/under set at 225.5 points.

The Jazz are on a three-game losing streak, suffering a 99-131 defeat against the Los Angeles Lakers in an In-Season Tournament game. Meanwhile, the Trail Blazers are struggling with eight consecutive losses, including a 107-120 defeat to the Phoenix Suns.

This preview aims to provide a prediction for the Utah Jazz vs Portland Trail Blazers matchup.

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Jazz unable to slow down James and the Lakers

The Utah Jazz faced a heavy 131-99 defeat on the road against the L.A. Lakers. Their shooting was poor, with only 38.8% from the floor and 25% from three-point range, while the Lakers shot 57% overall and 37.9% from three-point range.

Omer Yurtseven scored a season-high 18 points, significantly above his average of 2.3 points per game, and John Collins added 15 points, shooting 50%. Utah failed to cover the spread as 7.5-point underdogs, ending their four-game streak of covering.

This loss brought their tournament play record to 2-2 and marked their seventh loss in the last nine games, with a particularly weak first-half shooting performance of only 33%.

“They did a good job of just closing the floor on us and taking all the space that we had and forcing us to take tough shots,” said former Lakers guard Jordan Clarkson, who scored seven points on 3-of-9 shooting.

The Utah Jazz currently average 116.8 points per game, shooting at 46%, and allow an average of 122 points on 48.9% shooting from opponents. Lauri Markkanen leads the team with averages of 24.8 points and 8.8 rebounds, followed by Jordan Clarkson with 19.5 points and 3.6 rebounds. John Collins is another key scorer, and Collin Sexton contributes with an average of 2.6 rebounds.

The Jazz shoot 37% from three-point range and have an 81.1% free throw success rate. Defensively, they allow 36.8% shooting from three-point range and average 47.6 rebounds per game.

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Trail Blazers losing streak continues

The Portland Trail Blazers are in a tough spot, seeking to break an eight-game losing streak after a 120-107 loss to the Phoenix Suns. In this game, their defense faltered, allowing the Suns to shoot 56.6% from the floor and 41.2% from three-point range. The Blazers shot 45.2% from beyond the arc but only 43.7% overall.

Jerami Grant led the team with 26 points and six assists, followed by Malcolm Brogdon with 19 points and five assists, while DeAndre Ayton added 18 points, eight rebounds, and four assists. Overall, the Trail Blazers shot 43% from the field and 14 of 31 from the three-point line. They struggled from the start, particularly in the first quarter where they were outscored 34-21, putting them in a challenging position early in the game.

“That is just an elite team that will be contending for a championship this year,” Portland coach Chauncey Billups said. “They outlasted us but for the most part I thought we played well. We fouled too much and gave them the free-throw line."

The Portland Trail Blazers have an average of 102.9 points per game, shooting 42.8% from the field, and they concede 113.1 points on 48.9% shooting. Jerami Grant leads with an average of 22 points and 4.1 rebounds, followed by Anfernee Simons with 18 points and 2 rebounds. Shaedon Sharpe is another key scorer, and Malcolm Brogdon averages 4.8 rebounds.

The Trail Blazers shoot 30.5% from three-point range and 78.3% from the free-throw line. Defensively, they allow 35.5% shooting from three-point range and average 42.1 rebounds per game.

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Full-Game Side Bet

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The Portland Trail Blazers, currently on an eight-game losing streak and ranking as the lowest-scoring team in the league, are struggling with underperforming top scorers and injuries. They have a 13-game losing streak in home games following a loss and have failed to cover the spread in their last eight such home games.

Conversely, the Utah Jazz have a positive 2-0 record against the spread when favored. Although Utah has lost three consecutive games, their last victory was a significant 16-point win against the Blazers. Importantly, only one of Portland's three wins this season has been at home.

Given these factors, it is expected that the Jazz will bounce back from their recent slump, improving their shooting and defense against the struggling Blazers, leading to a win and covering the -3 spread. This will end Utah's three-game losing streak and add to Portland's series of defeats.

Prediction: Utah Jazz -3 (-110)

Full-Game Total Pick

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The prospect of scoring under 225.5 points in the upcoming game between Portland and Utah is supported by several key statistics and trends. Portland, currently on an eight-game losing streak, is the lowest-scoring team in the league. In their recent matchups, the Blazers have struggled offensively, failing to reach 100 points in four of their last five games, including scoring just 107 points against the Suns. Their field goal percentage in that game was only 43.7%, and they attempted 31 three-point shots.

Utah, scoring only 99 points in their last game, is also not expected to significantly increase their scoring in this matchup. The Jazz's previous game against the Blazers also went under, reinforcing the trend.

Additionally, Portland's offense is one of the slower-paced in the NBA, averaging 98.2 possessions per game. A crucial trend to note is that each of Portland's last six night games on the second leg of a back-to-back has gone under the total points line. Considering these factors, the under 225.5 points is a logical choice for this lower-scoring, slow-paced game.

Prediction: Under 225.5 total points (-110)

Viktor "The Viking" Allenson has been slaying the books for many years now. He has hammered the lines in all sports including basketball, football, soccer, MMA and baseball. The Viking's strength is his versatility and research in all sports. He also has the ability to find soft lines that the public loves and goes the other way.