Washington Wizards AT Utah Jazz
Mar 28, 2011 at 9 PM EST
Opening Line:  Utah -11.5
Current Line:  Utah -12
Opening Total:  204
Current Total:  205
Opening Moneyline:  Uta -1000 / Was +700
Current Moneyline:  Uta -990 / Was +750

The Jazz didn’t express worry when Jerry Sloan resigned.  Perhaps they should have been expressing not only worry, but worry with a tinge of panic, because since Sloan resigned the Jazz have gone a dismal 1-15, including a 5 game losing streak now, and their playoff chances are rather slim, behind Memphis by 5 games with only 8 games left in the regular season.  For the Jazz, whose identity revolved around Sloan and now departed All Star point guard Deron Williams, the change has been drastic and severe…will the Jazz blow the team up at years’ end?

“One game, we come in and turn the ball over,” said Jazz forward C.J. Miles “One game, we just can’t make a shot. One game, we just can’t stop anybody. It just seems like we can’t put everything together at one time and it’s tough to play that way.”

The troubles will likely come to at least a brief end or respite tonight against the Wizards, though.  Despite the struggles, the Jazz are double digit favorites, due largely in part to the Wizards 1-35 (!) record on the road.

Some betting trends:

Washington is 1-10 SU In their last 11 games and they are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 games.  The total has gone UNDER in 4 of their last 5 games and the total has gone UNDER in 4 of their last 6 on the road.  Washington is 0-5 SU in their last 5 on the road and they are 7-18 ATS in their last 25 on the road.  The total has gone UNDER in 4 of their last 5 against the Utah Jazz and Washington is 2-6 SU In their last 8 games against the Jazz.  The total has gone UNDER in 5 of their last 7 on the road against the Jazz and they are 2-9 SU in their last 11 on the road against the Jazz.

Utah is 0-5 SU in their last 5 games and they are 5-9-1 ATS in their last 15 games.  The total has gone OVER in 6 of their last 9 games and the total has also gone OVER in 4 of their last 5 at home.  Utah is 3-9 SU in their last 12 at home and they are 3-9 ATS In those 12 games.  The total has gone UNDER in 4 of their last 5 against the Wizards and they are 6-2 SU in their last 8 games against Washington.  Utah is 9-2 SU in their last 11 home games against the Wizards and they are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 against Washington.  The total has gone UNDER in 5 of their last 7 games against the Washington Wizards.

Key Matchups:

John Wall vs. Devin Harris & Earl Watson

Harris is day to day with a sore hamstring.  If he is unable to go, veteran Earl Watson will be seeing extended duty, but he is a good and capable backup, who is known to rack up a good number of assists and involve others in the offense as a true pass-first point guard.  Harris is in the other mold, a shoot-first, and the result has been damning to the Utah offense.  Previously predicated upon Deron Williams’ all around game of 20 & 10, Harris has been a huge regression for the Jazz and it has shown in their record.  Wall was the odds-on favorite for rookie of the year going into the season but he has been outplayed badly by Clippers’ rookie Blake Griffin.  Expect Wall to come out attacking Harris and/or Watson and attempt to get the Jazz bigs (Millsap and Al Jefferson) into foul trouble, which will represent the meager hope the Wizards have of winning this game.

JaVale McGee vs. Al Jefferson

McGee has done about as well as could have been expected from someone that is still very raw and adjusting to how to play the NBA game.  His strength is his defense, which he will put to the test tonight against the offensively gifted Jefferson.  Jefferson’s numbers are up from last year, but still don’t approach what he did with the Timberwolves.  It can be partly attributed to injury and also partly to playing with a better roster.  Jefferson will use his strength and size to abuse the frail and skinny McGee, but McGee should be able to use his atleticism to change and block a couple of Jefferson’s shots.

Expect the Wizards to come out and try to get on the Jazz early.  They don’t have a good shot at winning this game, but the Jazz have been horrid and Washington may be able to capitalize on that to get only their second road win of the entire season.