Phoenix Suns at Utah Jazz Pro Basketball Predictions

Phoenix Suns at Utah Jazz
Thursday, 10/28/10, 10:30 PM EST, TV: TNT
Opening Point Spread: Utah -6
Current Betting Line: Utah -6.5
Opening Total: 209.5
Current Total: 209.5

Utah Jazz PG Deron Williams gets set for the team's home opener off a 110-88 loss at Denver last night.

Phoenix plays its second road game of the season tonight and looks to bounce back from a 106-92 defeat on Tuesday night to the Portland Trail Blazers. “We didn’t quite have enough tonight,” said point guard Steve Nash. “But I’m optimistic that one of these days it’s going to click for us and we’ll be a good team.” The Suns looked fine for three quarters in their opening contest until getting outscored by a 31-11 margin in the final stanza. The starting frontcourt of Grant Hill, Robin Lopez and Hedo Turkoglu managed to combine for just 15 points. Phoenix was also playing without star forward Amare Stoudemire, who averaged 23.1 points last season, as he signed a free-agent contract with the Knicks in the offseason. The team is 57-33 ATS over the last three seasons after allowing 105 points or more and the NBA basketball odds list them as a 6.5-point underdog.

The Suns snapped a four-game losing streak in Salt Lake City in the regular season finale at EnergySolutions Arena last April with a 100-86 victory. Phoenix and Utah have split the season series in each of the last two campaigns (4-4). Offensively, the team was way off of its 110.2 points per game average of last season in its first game of the 2010-11 campaign, especially considering the Suns have led the league in scoring in five of the last six seasons. “No team in the NBA has gone 82-0. We still have some mistakes we have to take care of,” said guard Jason Richardson. One of those items is rebounding, as the team was outrebounded 48-30 on Tuesday night.

Utah was handed a 110-88 blowout defeat in its season opener against the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center last night and the team has now placed its perfect 8-0 preseason record in the rear view mirror. “Our cuts to the basket looked like we were dead tired,” said head coach Jerry Sloan. “Let’s give credit to Denver, but the season’s not over.” The offensive output by the Jazz was far off its 104.2 points per game they averaged in 2009-10, which was the fourth-best mark in the league. The unit is still a work in progress and learning how to play with new big man Al Jefferson, who replaced Carlos Boozer. Jefferson finished with six points and seven rebounds in his Utah debut.

The Jazz were never really in this contest and point guard Deron Williams made just 3 of 10 shots for 17 minutes, as the team shot 38.6 percent from the field. Utah also committed 22 turnovers in the season opener, seven more than the Nuggets. The club’s focus now turns to another Western Conference rival, as they are 71-81 all-time against the Suns with a 49-27 record at home. There’s definitely no reason to panic in the locker room due to the franchise finishing with at least a .500 record in 26 of the last 27 years.

Bettors will need to examine the Suns 8-1 ATS mark in their last nine games following an ATS loss, while the Jazz are 25-11-2 ATS in their last 38 games as a home favorite.