Nuggets vs. Jazz prediction, odds, pick – 12/30/2024
12/30/2024 09:45 AM
The Denver Nuggets will play the Utah Jazz on Monday at the Delta Center. It’s a showdown in Salt Lake City as we share our NBA odds series and make a Nuggets-Jazz prediction and pick.
The Jazz lead the head-t0-head series 124-91. Yet, the Nuggets have won both games against the Jazz this season. They have won four games in a row against the Jazz. Ultimately, the Nuggets are 6-4 over the past 10 games against the Jazz. But the Jazz is 3-2 over five home games against the Nuggets.
Here are the Nuggets-Jazz NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Nuggets-Jazz Odds
Denver Nuggets: -7 (-112)
Moneyline: -300
Utah Jazz: +7 (-108)
Moneyline: +245
Over: 239.5 (-112)
Under: 239.5 (-108)
How To Watch Nuggets vs. Jazz
Time: 9 PM ET/6 PM PT
TV: KJZZ and Altitude Sports
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why the Nuggets Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Nuggets are not dominating the NBA, but Nikola Jokic still sees some positives as he attempts to lead his team back to another title opportunity. Yet, even Jokic acknowledged the factors that caused the bad loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, including a porous defense that allowed 149 points in four quarters. The Nuggets may have a healing moment coming as they face the Jazz.
Jokic dominated in the last game, scoring 30 points and 10 rebounds. Likewise, Jamal Murray had 22 points and eight assists while shooting 10 for 18. Michael Porter Jr. added 19 points, while Christian Braun had 18 while shooting 6 for 8. Their bench did not do much in that game, but found a way to put up enough points and keep the Jazz at bay.
The Nuggets shot 54.8 percent from the floor in that game. More importantly, their defense held the Jazz to 42.2 percent from the floor. They also won despite losing the board battle. Yet, they blocked eight shots and had 10 steals to force 18 turnovers. The Nuggets dominated every aspect of the last game and the one before that. Significantly, the Nuggets beat the Jazz by an average of 22.5 points in those games.
The Nuggets will cover the spread if their top scorers continue dominating the stat sheet. Then, they must win the board battle and defend their rim to prevent the Jazz from gaining any momentum.
Why the Jazz Could Cover the Spread/Win
Jordan Clarkson nearly fighting the Detroit Pistons accurately sums up the season the Jazz have had up to this point. Despite that, this team can still put up a fight. More importantly, they will have Lauri Markkanen.
Markkanen did not play in the previous two games against the Jazz. While he has not had the best season, especially with several injuries, he still averages 19.7 points per game, shooting 44.1 percent from the floor. Expect Markkanen to play a pivotal role in this game as the Jazz attempt to take down their division rivals.
Collin Sexton was a factor in the last game, scoring 26 points while shooting 9 for 16. Ultimately, the Jazz need him to do more to give themselves a good chance at upsetting the Nuggets or even covering the spread. Sexton is more than capable of doing that, as he averages 17.3 points per game while shooting 48.4 percent from the floor. Recently, he had a game where he scored 30 points against the Detroit Pistons, showcasing his capabilities.
The Jazz might not have John Collins or Keyonte George in this game, as both are dealing with nagging injuries. Because of this, they will need others to contribute. Walker Kessler had 16 points and 12 rebounds while going 8 for 10 in the last battle with the Nuggets. He is quietly having a good season, averaging 10.3 points and 10.9 rebounds per game while shooting 69.7 percent from the floor.
The Jazz will cover the spread if they can dominate the boards and prevent the Nuggets from getting second chances on offense. Then, they must contain Jokic and Murray.
Final Nuggets-Jazz Prediction & Pick
The Nuggets are 12-17-1 against the spread, while the Jazz are 15-15 against the odds. Moreover, the Nuggets are 6-10 against the spread on the road, while the Jazz are 5-8 against the odds at home. The Nuggets are 9-10-1 against the spread when facing the Western Conference, while the Jazz are 9-14 against the odds when facing the West. Lastly, the Nuggets are 4-2 against the spread when facing the Northwest Division, while the Jazz are 2-3 against the odds against their division.
While the return of Markkanen can help, I don’t believe it will be enough, especially if they don’t have Collins or George. The Nuggets seem to show up against the Jazz, and I see that happening again. Therefore, I am rolling with the Nuggets to cover the spread on the road.
Final Nuggets-Jazz Prediction & Pick: Denver Nuggets: -7 (-112)
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