Oklahoma City Thunder at Utah Jazz
Monday, 11/15/10, 9:00 PM EDT
Opening Point Spread: Utah -6
Current Betting Line: Utah -6
Opening Total: 205
Current Total: 205
Oklahoma City continues to struggle on the defensive end after dropping a 117-104 contest to San Antonio on Sunday. The Thunder are allowing 105.8 points per game to rank 26th in the NBA after surrendering 98.0 points to finish fourth in the Western Conference last season. “We’re having trouble stopping the basketball,” said head coach Scott Brooks. The one-two punch of forward Kevin Durant and guard Russell Westbrook struggled to get things going in the loss, coming into the game scoring 53.2 points combined, which was the highest average for teammates in the league. Each scored at least 30 in wins over Philadelphia and Portland, but that streak ended with Durant scoring 23 and Westbrook with 19. The team is 2-6 ATS on the season and the NBA lines page finds them getting a generous six points.
The Thunder will need to sure up its perimeter defense to have a chance in pulling off the upset tonight, allowing the Spurs to shoot 11 of 20 from three-point territory. “They did a good job of exposing us in many areas,” said Brooks. “We had trouble guarding the three-point line. When you make a mistake they capitalize on it.” Oklahoma City did welcome back forward Jeff Green to the lineup on Sunday after missing three games with a sprained ankle. He scored 12 points against San Antonio and was averaging 19.4 points and 7.2 rebounds before the injury. Durant is likely to have a big game in this contest due to averaging 34.8 points per game over the last four meetings with the Jazz.
Utah returns home after quite a road trip in winning five consecutive games after trailing by 11 or more points in each contest. “We’ve got to figure out what’s going on in the first half,” said point guard Deron Williams. “It’s just two different teams out there. The first half we don’t get out and run.” Five Jazz players scored in double-digits in the 96-95 win in Charlotte to finish off the perfect road trip, led by forward Al Jefferson’s 19 points. Part of the team’s success early in the season is ranking second in the NBA in three-point defense, allowing opponents to hit just 30.2 percent from beyond the arc. Utah is 6-4 ATS on the season and 102-84 ATS over its last 186 games.
The Jazz are definitely led by point guard Deron Williams, who is averaging 21.3 points and 10.1 assists per game. He connected on the game-winning floater at Charlotte with less than a second remaining in the contest. “I knew it was good as soon as it left my hand,” the All-Star guard commented. It hasn’t been all good for the Illinois alumn, missing 10 of 15 shots from the floor on Saturday, but his teammates know he’s the go-to guy in clutch situations. “Bring us home,” said Jefferson to Williams in the fourth quarter of Saturday night’s win. The team is a perfect 5-0 versus the Eastern Conference, but just 2-3 versus Western foes.
Bettors will find that the Thunder are 1-6 ATS versus the Western Conference, while the Jazz are 1-4 ATS in their last five home games.
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