The Portland Trail Blazers and Utah Jazz are both out to slow starts this season, but one of them will pick up an NBA In-Season Tournament win when they face off on Tuesday night.
Portland is down several key players in this game, including No. 2 overall pick Scoot Henderson. That’s going to make it tough on the team to compete with a Utah team that can score the ball at a high level (averaging 113.9 points per game).
Can Lauri Markkanen and company get a win in this matchup? We have the latest odds and best bet for Tuesday’s showdown:
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Blazers vs. Jazz odds, spread and total
Blazers vs. Jazz how to watch
- Date: Tuesday, Nov. 14
- Game Time: 9:00 p.m. EST
- Venue: Vivint Smart Home Arena
- How to Watch (TV): Root Sports Northwest, NBA League Pass
- Portland Trail Blazers Record: 3-6
- Utah Jazz Record: 3-7
Blazers vs. Jazz injury reports
Blazers injury report
- Malcolm Brogdon – out
- Anfernee Simons – out
- Scoot Henderson – out
- Robert Williams III – out
Jazz injury report
- Josh Christopher – out
- John Collins – probable
- Taylor Hendricks – out
- Johnny Juzang – out
- Walker Kessler – out
- Micah Potter – out
- Brice Sensabaugh – out
Blazers vs. Jazz key players to watch
Portland Trail Blazers
Shaedon Sharpe: Last year’s lottery pick for Portland, Sharpe is going to have a big role going forward with guards like Simons, Brogdon and Henderson out. So far this season, he’s averaging 19.8 points per game while shooting 44.5 percent from the field.
Utah Jazz
Lauri Markkanen: Markkanen is playing at a high level, averaging over 24 points per game, but Utah’s defense has held the team back this season. The Jazz are 28th in the league in defensive rating. Markkanen may have to put up a big game for Utah to cover.
John Collins: Acquired in a deal with Atlanta this offseason, Collins is playing well for the Jazz, averaging 15.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per game while shooting 42.9 percent from beyond the arc.
Blazers vs. Jazz prediction and pick
I have a hard time backing either of these teams, especially since Utah’s defense has been awful this season.
However, with so many key offensive players out for the Blazers, I have no choice but to back the Jazz to cover.
Portland is dead last in the NBA in offensive rating, so I doubt that it will truly take advantage of Utah’s poor defense. Plus, the Blazers may have a hard time with a Utah team that is top 10 in the league in pace, as Portland is 24th in that statistic this season.
The Jazz were a much better team at home (23-18 straight up) than on the road (14-27 straight up). I’ll back the Jazz at home on Tuesday.
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Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.