Jazz vs. 76ers Prediction: NBA Odds, Point Spread
It’s the best of the West versus the best of the East as the No. 1 team in the NBA, the Utah Jazz, heads to Philadelphia to take on the 76ers in a Wednesday night matchup.
The Jazz are 3.5-point favourites to win on the NBA odds with a total of 228.
NBA Point Spread and Betting Analysis
The Jazz have been running through the NBA all season and as a result they’ve been rewarding bettors. Utah is 11-3 against the spread in their last 14 games and 25-9-1 ATS overall. The Jazz have hit the Over in four of their last five games and nine of 18 road games this season. As good as they’ve been this year, Utah has struggled against Philadelphia over the last few years. The Jazz have only covered the spread in one of their last seven games against the Sixers and they’ve been an Under team in five of their last seven games in Philadelphia.
The Sixers have cruised to top spot in the Eastern Conference mainly due to their stellar home record. Philly is 15-3 at the Wells Fargo Center, covering in 12 of those games. The total has gone Under in four of their last six games overall, but they’ve hit the Over in 11 of 18 homes games this season.
Utah Jazz
Utah’s 129-124 loss to the Pelicans on Monday was their third loss in their last 10 games and just their eighth loss of the season. Donovan Mitchell, who has been the best Jazz player all season, finished with 21 points and eight assists on Monday, but it was a surprise face who led Utah. Bojan Bogdanovic actually put up a game-high 31 points, while Rudy Gobert chipped in 22 points and Jordan Clarkson added 20 points.
As mentioned, Mitchell has been the key to Utah’s surprise success this season. Mitchell’s team-high average of 24.4 points per game is on par with his career numbers, but where he’s really stepped up is his shot selection and passing ability. He averages the second most assists on the team (5.4 per game) and he’s been picking less dangerous, smarter shots.
Philadelphia 76ers
The 76ers seem to have found another gear and they enter Wednesday with five wins in their last seven games. Philly put up another dominant scoring performance in their 130-114 win over Indiana on Monday. Shake Milton’s 26-point performance was a game-high, while MVP-candidate Joel Embiid added 24 points, 13 rebounds and five assists. Ben Simmons, who had 18 points on Monday, seems to be thriving with Embiid under coach Doc Rivers’ new systems. Simmons leads the Sixers in average assists (7.7) and steals (1.6) per game game, while Embiid leads the team in points (29.8), rebounds (11.3) and blocks (1.3).
Simmons is a model of consistency. His stats have essentially been the same for three years and he defends at a elite level. Where he needs improvement is his jump shot, which has cost the Sixers late in games. He also only shoots 60 per cent from the free throw line, well below the standard of an NBA point guard. If Simmons can contain Utah’s Mitchell, the Sixers should have a good shot at taking down the best team in the NBA.
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