Things have been looking up for the Utah Jazz lately. Of course, given how low they’d gotten, there was really nowhere else from them to go.
While the Jazz (32-21) have endured a slump, the Knicks (24-29) have had a more generally disappointing season. Julius Randle, last year’s Most Improved Player, has fallen back to earth, with nobody in New York’s supporting cast making up for his lost production. If the season ended today, the Knicks wouldn’t even make the NBA’s play-in tournament.
An underwhelming Knicks squad vs a dark horse Jazz team in interconference competition. What year is this, almost any in recent NBA history?
Utah Jazz vs New York Knicks Odds Tonight
According to WynnBet, the Jazz are 7.5 point favorites to win tonight, and -310 point favorites on the money line. The Knicks are +250 point money line underdogs.
The over/under is presently set at 216.5 points.
Utah Jazz Starting Lineup
While the Jazz’s injury fortunes have improved, they’ll still be without Rudy Gobert. Look for Quin Snyder to go with Mike Conley, Donovan Mitchell, Bojan Bogdanovic, Royce O’Neale and Hassan Whiteside from the opening tip.
Utah Jazz Injury Report
Besides Gobert, Jordan Clarkson and Rudy Gay are both questionable tonight, each with right knee soreness.
Utah Jazz vs New York Knicks Prediction
Tonight feels like a good opportunity for the Jazz to make up some ground in the standings by securing their third win in a row. The Knicks are floundering, having lost 8 of their last 10 games.
In all likelihood, these Knicks will make a deal before Thursday’s trade deadline. The Jazz may as well, but their needs feel a little less desperate. With an even remotely healthy lineup, they still look like real NBA contenders.
That’s something the Knicks haven’t looked like all season. Last year, Julius Randle had the appearance of a first option on an NBA contender. Now, it looks apparent that he’s something closer to a second or even third bananda. Otherwise, these Knicks have some solid players, but not nearly enough talent to hang with the Jazz.
Any team can beat any other team on any night in the NBA. Still, the odds are heavily in Utah’s favor tonight.
Prediction: Jazz 120, Knicks 109
Utah Jazz vs New York Knicks TV Channel
Fans in the Big Apple can catch this game on MSG Network, while fans in Utah should turn to AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain.
Utah Jazz Schedule and Next Game
Sometimes in life, it gets harder before it gets easier. The Jazz’s next contest comes against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday, February 9.
Then comes the easier part. The Jazz play the Orlando Magic on February 11, the Houston Rockets on Valentine’s Day, and the Los Angeles Lakers on the 16th.