Utah Jazz vs Portland Trail Blazers Betting Pick & Prediction 12/26/24
At 10:00 ET, the Portland Trail Blazers (-131) will host the Utah Jazz (+111) in a Northwest Division matchup. The Trail Blazers are favored by 1.5 points and the over/under line is set at 228.5.
Portland (9-20) has lost two straight and is 13th in the Western Conference. Utah (7-21) is 14th in the West and 5th in the Northwest Division.
UTAH JAZZ VS PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Portland Trail Blazers -1.5
This game will be played at Moda Center at 10:00 ET on Thursday, December 26th.
WHY BET THE PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 159-137 in favor of the Trail Blazers.
- Our projections have Anfernee Simons finishing with 19 points, 3 rebounds and 5 assists.
- From the field, we have the Trail Blazers finishing with a field goal percentage of 46.2% and knocking down 15 threes.
Can the Jazz Grab a Win in Portland?
The Jazz fell to 7-21 on the season after a 124-113 loss to the Cavaliers on Monday. Utah entered the game as +14 point underdogs but managed to keep the game closer than expected. The total points of 237.5 exceeded the pre-game line of 232.5.
Utah stayed competitive throughout, trailing 29-27 after the 1st quarter and 31-29 after the 2nd. Cleveland pulled away in the 3rd, outscoring the Jazz 39-32, and both teams scored 25 points in the 4th.
In their 124-113 loss to the Cavaliers, the Jazz connected on 19 threes, shooting 43.2% from beyond the arc. However, their overall field goal percentage was just 41.3%.
Jordan Clarkson led the Jazz with 27 points, while Lauri Markkanen added 26, hitting 6 threes. Collin Sexton contributed 24 points, scoring 8 in the 4th quarter.
The Jazz struggled defensively in the 3rd quarter, giving up 39 points, which contributed to their 124-113 loss to the Cavaliers. Overall, Utah allowed Cleveland to shoot 47% from the field.
From beyond the arc, the Cavaliers hit 20 threes at a 43% clip. The Jazz sent Cleveland to the line 23 times, where they made 18 free throws. Utah finished with 33 defensive rebounds, gave up 10 offensive boards, and recorded 6 steals and 5 blocks.
Can the Trail Blazers Grab a Win at Home?
Portland fell to 9-20 on the season after a 132-108 road loss to the Mavericks on Monday. The Blazers entered the game as +13 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread. The total score of 240 points exceeded the O/U line of 230.5 by 9.5 points.
Portland started strong, leading 31-28 after the 1st quarter, but were outscored 34-22 in the 2nd and 40-23 in the 3rd. They entered the 4th quarter down 102-76 and edged Dallas 32-30 in the final period.
In their 132-108 loss to the Mavericks, the Trail Blazers struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 8 threes at a 27.6% clip. Overall, they shot 46.2% from the field.
Deni Avdija led the Blazers with 19 points, while Deandre Ayton added 16, 10 of which came in the 2nd quarter. Jabari Walker scored all 13 of his points in the 4th quarter.
The Trail Blazers struggled defensively against the Mavericks, giving up 132 points on 53% shooting. Portland allowed 28 points in the 1st quarter, 34 in the 2nd, and 40 in the 3rd before holding Dallas to 30 points in the 4th.
From beyond the arc, the Mavericks hit 12 threes at a 33% clip. Dallas also went to the line 34 times, making 24 free throws. Portland gave up 13 offensive rebounds while recording 6 steals and 1 block.