The Utah Jazz (33-18) are visiting the Houston Rockets (33-19) Sunday at Toyota Center for a 7 p.m. ET tip-off. We analyze the Jazz-Rockets odds and lines, with NBA betting advice and tips around the matchup.
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Jazz at Rockets: Key injuries
Jazz
- C Ed Davis (back) questionable
Rockets
- SG Eric Gordon (leg) questionable
- SF Bruno Caboclo (undisclosed) out
Jazz at Rockets: Odds, lines, picks and betting tips
NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 1:30 p.m. ET.
Prediction
Jazz 122, Rockets 115
Moneyline (ML)
The Jazz (+135) ended a five-game skid with a tight 117-114 home victory over the Portland Trail Blazers in their last game and the Rockets’ (-161) four-game winning streak ended with a 127-91 stomping they got from the Phoenix Suns. The Rockets have won five of their last six games against the Jazz, which includes a 4-1, gentleman’s sweep, in their Western Conference first-round series against Utah last postseason.
The size mismatch between these two squads is wild. Utah’s Rudy Eiffle Tower Gobert is the back-to-back, defending Defensive Player of the Year and Houston’s starting center is either P.J. Tucker or Robert Covington—neither one of them taller than 6-foot-7. Tell 18-year veteran Tyson Chandler to dust off the sneakers and prep for some game time. Moreover, opposing starting power forwards in Houston’s last five games are averaging 23.2 points per game on 64% from the field and 3-point land. Utah’s starting power forward—Bojan Bogdanović—scored 30 points in Utah’s 126-117 loss to the Rockets Jan. 27.
BET UTAH (+135) to get retribution for recent losses to the Rockets.
Line/Against the Spread (ATS)
Utah is the much more rested team while playing for just the third time in eight days. The Rockets are playing their fourth game in five days. While both teams played Friday, I’m going to source a rest disadvantage trend because of their past week’s schedule. Houston is 3-9 against the spread with a minus-11.4 margin against the spread in those games.
Also, home favorites laying 0-4.5 points have a 9-19 against the spread record with the officiating crew assigned to the Jazz-Rockets, and Houston is 1-5 when laying 3-4.5 points. So don’t bank on home cooking for the Rockets.
TAKE UTAH +3.5 (-115) for a little insurance on our moneyline wager.
Over/Under (O/U)
I don’t know. The Under is 7-3 in the last 10 Jazz-Rockets meetings and Houston has a 3-9 Over/Under record with a rest disadvantage. Their combined O/U record is 50-53, but the officiating crew’s O/U record is 57-47. My hunch is that there are a ton of points scored in this one but my official stance is to PASS ON THE TOTAL.
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