The Nets are hoping to bounce back after two consecutive losses, while the Jazz are looking for the first road win of this season. With plenty of picks and markets to choose from, don’t waste your time and join the action at Get More Sports.
Utah Jazz at Brooklyn Nets
Spread: Utah Jazz -2 (-110) at BetDSI Sportsbook
Total: Over/Under 209.5 points (-105/-110)
The Jazz are hoping to snap the five-game losing run on the road
The Utah Jazz lost six out of the last seven games, and that only win came against the Brooklyn Nets in Salt Lake City a few days ago. They aren’t playing well in away matches and lost all five so far, most recently to the New York Knicks, 101:106. Utah is still in the Big Apple and will try to record the first win on the road against the Nets, and is looking for the fourth straight victory over Brooklyn at Barclays Center.
The Jazz led through the three quarters at Madison Square Garden, but the Knicks won the final period by ten points, so Utah fell short for the second time in a row. They hit even 17 three-pointers on 35 attempts (48.6%), but that wasn’t enough to avoid defeat in NYC, as Rudy Gobert’s absence proved to be quite significant. The Knicks dominated the boards (45-37), which probably wouldn’t happen with Gobert on the floor, and the Jazz will have problems to win in that segment when they face Brooklyn on Friday. Rodney Hood led Utah with season-high 30 points (10-20 FG, 6-12 3PT, 4-5 FT) and two blocks, while Donovan Mitchell continued with solid displays as he scored 19 points along with four rebounds. Ricky Rubio added 13 points and four assists, Joe Ingles contributed with 13 points and four boards, while Derrick Favors posted six points, ten rebounds, five dimes, and game-high three rejections. Favors was bad from the field (3-11), but he managed to record double digits in rebounds for the third straight game and considering that he had 24 points and 12 boards when Utah beat Brooklyn a few days ago, the former Net is the player to watch on this one. Hood will likely lead the second unit as he’s currently one of the top scorers of this team, while the rookie Mitchell is playing on a high level lately and should also be closely monitored.
Quin Snyder cannot count on the center Rudy Gobert who is sidelined with a bone bruise in his right knee and is set to miss the next 3-5 weeks. The French international already missed the previous three matches, and Utah is forced to use a smaller lineup with Favors at the center and Jonas Jerebko at the power forward spot. Joe Johnson will not feature here as he is suffering from a right wrist injury and is unable to face his former team, while the point guard Ricky Rubio is questionable to play due to an Achilles tendon setback. In case the Spaniard misses the tilt in Brooklyn, Raul Neto could start at the point, while Hood and Mitchell should see more minutes on the floor. The Jazz are scoring 98.47 points per contest on average (28th in the NBA), while they are allowing 100.67 points in return (5th in the NBA). The defense is the better part of the team in the past several years, and if Utah limits the Nets to under 100 points, I think the Jazz will be close to the victory. They lead the league when it comes to free-throw shooting (83.93%), and now with Gobert on the sidelines, that percentage could be even higher.
Place: Barclays Center, New York City, New York
Date/Time: Friday, November 17th, 2017, 7:30 PM ET
TV Coverage: YES, ATTSN-RM, WFAN
The Nets are looking to tie the season series with Utah
The Brooklyn Nets returned home following five-game road trip where they recorded a pair of wins, but the Boston Celtics defeated them 109:102 at Barclays Center. Still, the Nets played well and resisted the favored Celtics for the most of the tilt, but the inexperience and a few crucial errors cost them a win. They also lost narrowly to the Jazz a few days ago, and I am pretty sure this one will be another tight affair.
The Nets were good from beyond the arc against Boston, making 14 threes in 35 attempts (40%), and they had 26 assists in opposite to the Celtics’ 15, but scoring just ten shots from the free-throw line out of 16 played a big part in a loss. Joe Harris led Brooklyn with season-high 19 points, and he will pose a threat from the perimeter as he bagged five threes on 11 attempts, so the Jazz will have to pay special attention to the shooting guard. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson added 16 points and nine rebounds, Caris Levert chipped in with 15 points and five dishes, while Allen Crabbe finished the match with 15 points (5-8 3PT) and team-high two thefts. Spencer Dinwiddie posted his first double-double of the campaign with 12 points and 11 assists, as he continues to play an important role in D’Angelo Russell’s absence. Trevor Booker contributed with 12 points and eight boards and will be highly motivated to play against his former team, so he is a player to watch for the hosts. Harris and Crabbe can hurt the Jazz from downtown, and although Utah is defending the perimeter quite well, they will take opportunities to shoot at sight if given a chance.
Kenny Atkinson will be without the starting point guard and best player D’Angelo Russell who is struggling with a left knee at the moment, but the injury is not severe, and he could be back next week. Dinwiddie and Isaiah Whitehead will split Russell’s minutes, but Dinwiddie will start at the point. Jeremy Lin is out for the season, and the Nets are desperate to have Russell healthy, so they will not risk the former Laker on this one. The Nets are scoring 110.00 points per contest on average (6th in the NBA), while they are allowing 114.14 points in return (29th in the NBA). Utah has one of the best defenses in the league, but Brooklyn already scored 106 points when they previously met, so it will be interesting to see whether the Jazz can handle the Nets’ high-flying offense.
Utah Jazz at Brooklyn Nets Trends & Prediction
The Jazz are 7-8 against the spread (1-4 away), while they are 6-8-1 on over/under (2-2-1 away), and in case Rubio skips this clash, the defense will be considerably weaker, so I am suggesting OVER on this one.
The Nets are 7-7 against the spread (3-3 home), while they are 8-5-1 on over/under (4-1-1 home), and Brooklyn scored 100+ points in the last four games, so I believe they will do it again, which should be enough for at least 210 points in total.
My Pick: Pass
Total: Over 209.5 points (-105)
