The Brooklyn Nets aim to stop a six-game losing skid with a challenging road game on Friday, but they’ll have to do it with a shorthanded roster. The Nets visit Salt Lake City to take on the Utah Jazz, with the Jazz also losing five of the last six games. Brooklyn is 29-22 this season, and Utah is 31-21 overall and 16-10 at home. Kevin Durant (knee), James Harden (hamstring), Joe Harris (ankle), Paul Millsap (personal) and LaMarcus Aldridge (ankle) are all out for Brooklyn. Donovan Mitchell (concussion) projects to return for the Jazz, with Rudy Gobert (calf) and Joe Ingles (knee) ruled out and Jordan Clarkson (knee), Rudy Gay (knee) and Hassan Whiteside (back) listed as questionable.
Caesars Sportsbook lists Utah as a 5.5-point home favorite for this 9 p.m. ET tipoff. The total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, or the over-under, is 229.5 in the latest Nets vs. Jazz odds. Before locking in any Jazz vs. Nets picks, be sure to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit on its top-rated NBA picks over the past three-plus seasons. The model enters Week 16 of the 2021-22 NBA season on a stunning 62-32 roll on all top-rated NBA picks, returning over $2,500. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Nets vs. Jazz, and just locked in its picks and NBA predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are several NBA betting lines and trends for Jazz vs. Nets:
- Nets vs. Jazz spread: Jazz -5.5
- Nets vs. Jazz over-under: 229.5 points
- Nets vs. Jazz money line: Jazz -230, Nets +190
- BKN: The Nets are 14-12 against the spread in road games
- UTAH: The Jazz are 8-18 against the spread in home games
Featured Game | Utah Jazz vs. Brooklyn Nets
Why the Nets can cover
Brooklyn is solid in several areas on defense, including a league-leading mark in 3-point accuracy allowed at 32.9 percent. The Nets are in the top eight in field-goal percentage defense, assists allowed and blocked shots, and Brooklyn’s offense is unquestionably top-notch. The Nets are producing 112.0 points per 100 possessions, an elite figure, and Brooklyn leads the NBA in free-throw accuracy at 81.9 percent.
Brooklyn is No. 3 in the league in field-goal percentage, making 47.2 percent of shots, and the Nets are in the top 10 in assists per game (25.4) and assist percentage (60.9 percent). Brooklyn is in the top 10 of the NBA in fast-break points, taking advantage of transition opportunities, and the Nets should benefit from Utah’s passive approach. The Jazz are second-worst in the NBA in turnover creation on defense, and Brooklyn can take advantage by utilizing its elite shot profile.
Why the Jazz can cover
Utah’s defense is above-average this season, giving up fewer than 1.1 points per possession. The Jazz are No. 2 in the NBA in free- throw prevention, allowing only 18.5 attempts per game, and Utah is very strong on the defensive glass. The Jazz are securing 73.8 percent of available defensive rebounds, a top-eight figure, and opponents are averaging only 23.2 assists per game. On the opposite end, Utah is the best in the NBA, scoring 115.3 points per 100 possessions.
The Jazz lead the NBA in overall shooting efficiency, and Utah also leads in 3-pointers (14.5 per game). Utah is shooting 47.2 percent from the field this season, with 48.0 points per game in the paint and a stellar offensive rebound rate of 28.6 percent. That potent offensive rebounding leads to 14.1 second-chance points per game, buoying the team’s overall efficiency on offense.
How to make Jazz vs. Nets picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning under on the total, projecting 224 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits well over 60 percent of the time. You can only see the model’s pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Nets vs. Jazz? And which side of the spread hits well over 60 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its NBA picks, and find out.
