Utah Jazz at Portland Trail Blazers
Friday, 3/29/13, 10:00 PM EST, TV: CSNW
Opening Point Spread: Portland -3.5
Current Betting Line: Portland -3
Opening Total: 196
Current Total: 196.5
Odds Courtesy of Bookmaker
Utah has won back-to-back games, including a 103-88 victory over the Phoenix Suns as 13.5-point home favorites Wednesday night, while going UNDER the total for the first time in four contests. The Jazz will play six of their next seven games in Salt Lake City, but they’ll be searching for their first road win since the All-Star break in this matchup, which is important to consider when making your NBA picks against the spread. Utah is 10-4 ATS in March, with the UNDER going 8-6 in that situation.
The Jazz are 10-27 overall when playing away from home, including a 4-18 mark versus Western Conference foes. Utah has won five out of the last six games against Portland, while compiling a 10-4 mark in this series over the last three seasons. All five of the team’s probable starters are averaging in double figures, with center Al Jefferson leading the way, as he’s scoring 17.3 points and grabbing 9.1 rebounds per game.
Portland has dropped back-to-back games by double-digit margins, including a 111-93 setback to the Brooklyn Nets as 3.5-point home favorites Wednesday night, while going OVER the posted total of 195.5. “It was embarrassing,” commented Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard. He has scored 49 combined points in the first two meetings with the Jazz this season, but he may be wearing down due to the amount of minutes the team’s starters have played. Portland is 18-14-2 ATS at home this season, with the OVER going 20-14 in that situation.
The Trail Blazers will lean heavily on power forward LaMarcus Aldridge on the offensive end, as the Jazz are one of four teams that he has a career scoring average above 20.0 points. He’s currently listed as questionable on the injury report with an ankle injury, but he did manage to score 24 points last time out.
Sports bettors will likely back the Jazz due to their 5-2 ATS mark on the road in this series, while the Trail Blazers are 0-5 ATS following a SU loss of more than 10 points.
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