NBA Utah Jazz vs Portland Trail Blazers Preview and Prediction

Date/Time: 12-21-2018, 22:00 EDT

Spread: Portland Trail Blazers -2

Total: +212

In this all-Western showdown, one of the biggest disappointments of the conference so far, the Utah Jazz, who want to turn their latest victory into a streak and climb up from the bottom of the West, are visiting the Portland Trail Blazers, who on the other hand have won their last 3 games.

Jazz are 15-17 so far in the league and are sitting in the 14^th place of the Western Conference. In their latest matchup they ended a 2-game losing skid with a home victory against Golden State, 108-103. Blazers are 18-13 so far in the league and are tied with the Los Angeles Clippers in the fifth place of the Western conference. They have won their last three games and in their latest matchup they were victorious against Memphis at home, 99-92.

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Utah are led in scoring by Donovan Mitchell with 20.9 ppg. He also adds 3.3 assists per game, while Rudy Gobert follows with 14.5 ppg and leading the team in rebounding with 12.4 per game. Ricky Rubio adds 12.5 ppg and a team high 6.1 assists per game. Portland are led in scoring by Damian Lillard with 27.2 ppg. He also adds 5 rebounds and leads the team in assists with 6 per game, while CJ McCollum follows with 21.5 ppg, adding 3.8 rebounds per game. Jusuf Nurkic adds 14.4 ppg and a team high 10.1 rebounds per game.

Those two squads met 4 times last year with each team winning twice. In the two Portland games, the hosts won 102-93 and the guests 96-115. Portland are 12-5 at home so far, while Utah are 2-12 on the road. Portland have a better offense with 111.8 ppg to Utah’s 106.5, while Utah have a better defense, allowing 106.4 ppg to Portland’s 110.2. Both squads have almost the same accuracy from the field, shooting with 45.9% and 45.8%, while Portland have a better accuracy from behind the arc, shooting with 36.1% to Utah’s 33.5%. Portland commit fewer turnovers (14.5 to 15.5) and grab more rebounds per game (48.1 to 43.7), while Utah dish more assists per game (24.4 to 21). 12 of Utah’s 17 defeats have been on the road this season so they don’t pose a threat in Portland and pick Blazers in this one.

Utah Jazz vs Portland Trail Blazers Prediction: Portland Trail Blazers -2 (-110)