NBA Picks

Portland Trail Blazers vs Utah Jazz NBA Picks, Odds, Predictions 12/23/20

Utah Jazz at Portland Trail Blazers 12/23/20: NBA Basketball free preview, analysis, prediction, odds and pick against the spread.
2020-12-23 22:00:00 EDT

Donovan Mitchell and the Utah Jazz pay a visit to Damian Lillard and the Portland Trailblazers at the Moda Center on Wednesday night.

The Utah Jazz will be eager to go one step further in the playoffs after falling just short to the Nuggets in a thrilling playoff series in the bubble. Donovan Mitchell signed long term for the max while Rudy Gobert re-signed for five years which is great news for the Jazz who always find it tough to lure superstar free agents. The Jazz drafted Udoka Azubuike with the 27th pick and Elijah Hughes with the 39th pick, but they really didn’t do much else other than secure what they already have.

Meanwhile, the Portland Trailblazers will be gunning for their best run in recent years after enduring an injury riddled season. Damian Lillard led the team with averages of 30.0 points and 8.0 assists per game, CJ McCollum averaged 22.2 points per game despite playing through injury while Jusuf Nurkic and Zach Collins both missed significant time which really hurt the Trailblazers’ defense which ranked 27th last season. Carmelo Anthony has turned himself from unwanted free agent to a key contributor for the Trailblazers with averages of 15.4 points per game.

Looking at the betting trends, the Jazz are 1-3-1 ATS in their last five road games, 0-4 ATS in their last four games playing on three or more days rest and 0-3-1 ATS in their last four games overall. The Trailblazers are 17-5 ATS in their last 22 Wednesday games, 5-2 ATS in their last seven games following a loss and 1-5 ATS in their last five games playing on three or more days rest.

Head to head, the over is 17-6 in the last 23 meetings in Portland, the Jazz are 1-4 ATS in the last five meetings overall and the Jazz are 2-7 ATS in the last nine meetings in Portland.

The Jazz did a great job in the offseason to lock down their two best players in Mitchell and Gobert who just compliment each other so well, but they didn’t do much else, so I’m expecting them to have a very similar season. The Trailblazers were struggling with injuries all season and we didn’t see them near full strength until the bubble. It’s hard to pick between these two teams at this stage, but I prefer a play on the Trailblazers who are always tough to beat at the Moda Center.

Peter Tran's Free Pick: Portland -1.5

Need More? Get Premium Picks

Peter Tran

Peter Trans is an acclaimed Expert NBA Handicapper, renowned for his insightful analysis and predictions in the world of professional basketball. With a keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of the game, Peter has established himself as a trusted authority among basketball enthusiasts and bettors alike. His expertise is showcased on SportsChatPlace.com, where he provides in-depth game analyses, betting tips, and forecasts that are both highly informative and remarkably accurate.

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Back to top button