The Utah Jazz (43-26) meet the Denver Nuggets (45-24) Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET in the NBA’s Orlando bubble. We analyze the Jazz-Nuggets betting odds and lines, with NBA picks and best bets.
Jazz vs. Nuggets: Key injuries
Jazz
- SF Royce O’Neal (calf) probable
- SG Donovan Mitchell (leg) questionable
- SF Bojan Bogdanovic (wrist) out
Nuggets
- SG Will Barton (knee) out
- SG Gary Harris (hip) out
- SG Jamal Murray (hamstring) questionable
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Jazz vs. Nuggets: Odds, lines, picks and betting tips
NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated at 12:40 p.m. ET.
Prediction
Nuggets 117, Jazz 105
Moneyline (ML)
The Nuggets (-125) have been a little banged up in this NBA restart and are 2-2 in their four games in the bubble. Denver lost its last game, 125-115, to the Portland Trail Blazers because PG Damian Lillard lit them up for 45 points.
C Nikola Jokic struggled to score, only putting up eight points, but did add 13 assists. SF Michael Porter Jr. continued his impressive play with a 27-point and 13-rebound effort.
The Jazz (+105) lost to the San Antonio Spurs, 119-111, Friday but were without four of five starters. Utah is now 2-3 in their five restart games and it appears just trying to get to the postseason fully healthy.
Both have nagging injury problems to deal with but the Jazz’s are more worrisome since their second-leading scorer in Bogdanovic is out for the season.
Jokic had maybe his best game ever in the last meeting with the Jazz, putting up a triple-double with 30 points, 21 rebounds and 10 assists, and the Nuggets’ injuries allowed Porter Jr. to flourish.
TAKE THE NUGGETS (-125). New to sports betting? A $125 bet on the Nuggets (-125) returns a $100 profit if Denver beats the Jazz.
Line/Against the Spread (ATS)
Since this is pretty much a coinflip game, we are going to stick with the moneyline and PASS ON THE SPREAD. But, I’ll provide a little more info to back up my moneyline handicap.
The Nuggets have won, and covered, both of their games against the Jazz this season. Denver is 13-8 when playing with a rest advantage and Utah is 8-9 when playing with a rest disadvantage.
The Jazz don’t bounce-back well from losses, as they are 1-9-1 ATS in their last 11 games following a straight-up loss. Granted they aren’t playing in the Mile High City but the Jazz are 1-6 ATS when playing the Nuggets away from home.
Over/Under (O/U)
The 220.5 total looks high for a game pitting two slower-paced teams against one another. Utah ranks 20th in Pace and Denver is second-to-last in Pace. The Under is 21-5 in the last 26 meetings, including both 2019-20 Jazz-Nuggets games going Under the total.
Ultimately, I’m PASSING on an Over/Under play because all four of Denver’s restart games have gone Over and the past three Jazz games have gone Over as well.
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