Experts Pick Suns-Jazz Spread, Over/Under and Moneyline
PHOENIX -- After two road games, the Phoenix Suns return to the friendly walls of the Footprint Center for a three-game homestand which begins with the Utah Jazz tonight.
Here's how to bet:
Covers.com: Under 224.5 Points
Rory Breasail:"You rarely see a team play with such limited spacing in the modern NBA. It’s not a good process when your best shooter is also your best player, and in Utah's case, any play that features Clarkson or Lauri on the ball leaves defenses with only one player they need to guard behind the arc. That equation doesn’t change much with second-unit substitutions, as Kris Dunn is the point guard off the bench.
"The Suns are going to swarm Lauri and Clarkson and cheat into the paint against everyone else. They’ll have the energy to do so, but the Jazz are coming off the heels of a game last night against the Los Angeles Clippers that took a monumental effort to close out.
"This line has also shot up three points since opening, and I’m always keen to take the points and bet against the public when it makes sense. With Durant forced to run a solo act on offense again and the Jazz on dead legs going with wonky spacing, I like Under at 224.5 as my best bet for Saturday."
Pickswise: Suns -6
Filip Tomic: "The Suns won the regular-season series 2-1 last year, they’ve been the better team in the head-to-head meetings going further back too, winning 8 of the last 10 and outscoring the Jazz by 6.8 points per game during that stretch. After beating Golden State on the road in the season opener, the Suns fell 100-95 on the road in LA against the Lakers. Kevin Durant couldn’t do it all by himself, finishing with 39 points and 11 rebounds.
"Bradley Beal and Devin Booker both missed that game, but they could return tonight as Phoenix plays in front of the home fans for the first time. When playing as the favorite, the Suns are 14-2 SU in their last 16 games, so I really have to like their chances. Phoenix has had more rest and on paper the Suns are the much better team. Booker will be a game-time decision, but even without him I fancy their chances of covering."
USA Today Sportsbook Wire: Jazz ML
Jess Root: "The Suns won’t have Beal and likely no Booker. They have depth, but they work much better as depth than starters.
"They scored only 95 points Thursday. And while they have allowed 204 points in 2 games, the Jazz like to score, scoring 114 and 120 points in their first 2 games of the season.
"Expect the Jazz to pick up an upset win over the favored Suns."
