Two Western Conference rivals trying to move up the ladder for different reasons collide in Salt Lake City on Monday night.
The Phoenix Suns are looking to hold on to their current 4th place standing in the Western Conference. The Suns are 39-35 SU on the season and are just one-half game ahead of the 5th-seeded L.A. Clippers as of Sunday’s games. They are 4-6 SU over their last 10 games but are coming off a win over the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Utah Jazz are trying to get back to the Top 10. Utah is 35-39 SU on the year and they are 1.5 games behind the 10th-seeded OKC Thunder and the last play-in tournament spot. The Jazz are just 4-6 SU in their last 10 games played and they have lost their last three games played. In their last assignment, Utah was beaten by the Pacific Division leaders Sacramento Kings.
Devin Booker is averaging 33.8 points per game on 58.5% FG shooting over his last 11 games. For the season, D-Book is putting up 28.2 points per game this season. Chris Paul is averaging 13.6 points and 9.1 assists per game. Deandre Ayton, who is putting up a double-double at 18.3 points and 10.1 rebounds per game, has been upgraded to probable for Monday’s game.
The Suns are 18th in the league in scoring at 113.7 points per game this season. Phoenix is 6th in three-point shooting percentage at 37.7% from deep. Defensively, they rank 4th in scoring defense at 112.0 points per game allowed. The Suns are also 10th in rebounding at 44.4 boards grabbed per contest.
Walker Kessler scored a career-high 31 points while also grabbing 11 rebounds during last Saturday’s loss to the Kings. The Jazz played without Lauri Markkanen, Jordan Clarkson, and Collin Sexton. Markkanen leads the Jazz in scoring this season at 25.8 points per game while also grabbing 8.6 boards per outing. Jordan Clarkson is second in scoring at 20.8 points per game this season while veteran Kelly Olynyk is averaging 12.3 points and 5.9 rebounds per game.
Utah is 6th in the NBA in scoring at 117.3 points per game this season. They are 6th overall in three-point makes at 13.7 triples per contest. Defensively, the Jazz are conceding an average of 117.8 points per game which ranks 24th overall in the league. Utah is one of the top rebounding teams in the NBA this year with 45.6 boards grabbed per contest.
The Suns are 8-2 SU in their last 10 games played against the Jazz. Phoenix is 4-1 SU in their last 5 games played in Utah.
Phoenix Suns SU trends:
Utah Jazz SU trends:
The Jazz are looking to end a three-game losing streak. Utah played without their top three leading scorers in Lauri Markkanen, Jordan Clarkson, and Collin Sexton in their last game. Without the three, rookie Walker Kessler had one of the best games ever for a Jazz rookie as he shot 14-16 from the floor while finishing with 31 points and 11 rebounds. Unfortunately, the Jazz were unable to come from behind and beat the Kings.
Kessler is the first Jazz rookie to score 30 points and grab double-digit rebounds. Kessler is one of the players that Utah received from Minnesota in the Rudy Gobert trade and he is slowly paying dividends. Fellow rookie Ochai Agbaji added 20 points while Jarrell Brantley added 13 for the Jazz.
Meanwhile, the Suns defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 125-105 on Saturday night despite playing without Kevin Durant and Deandre Ayton. Bismack Biyombo was the difference-maker for the Suns with 17 points, 13 rebounds, and five blocked shots. Devin Booker added 29 for Phoenix which had lost six out of their previous seven games played. The Suns outscored the Sixers 36-22 in the fourth quarter of that game.
This marks the third and final regular-season meeting between these two teams. They split the first two games with each team winning by one point. The Jazz won at home 134-133 in the first meeting while the Suns defended their home court one week later with a 113-112 win.
Utah will still be without Clarkson and Sexton while Markkanen is uncertain to play. Phoenix is without KD and Ayton but they beat the Sixers the last time out.
Prediction: Phoenix Suns
The Suns are 6-4 ATS in their last 10 games played. Phoenix is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games played in Utah.
Phoenix Suns ATS trends:
Utah Jazz ATS trends:
Suns
-5.5 (-110)
Jazz
+5.5 (-110)
Odds from BetOnline as of 03/27/2023
Despite losing three straight games, the Jazz have covered the betting spread in seven out of their last 9 games played. They are 41-31-2 ATS this season. Even with their top three scorers sidelined the last time out, they played well against the Kings in their last game. The Jazz will have the chance to get reinforcements back on Monday.
The Suns have covered just once in their last 8 games played but are coming off a big win over the Sixers in a game where they played without KD and Ayton. Devin Booker has waxed hot as of late.
The Suns are 4th in the Western Conference team standings while the Jazz are trying to move up to the Top 10. Both teams need this win but the Jazz need it more. However, the Jazz will have to do it without at least Sexton and Clarkson while Markkanen is listed as day-to-day.
This one should be a close game but I trust the Suns more with Booker playing because Markkanen is uncertain.
Prediction: Suns -5.5
The over is 6-4 in the last 10 games played between these two teams. The under is 7-3 in their last 10 games played in Utah.
Phoenix Suns over/under trends:
Utah Jazz over/under trends:
Over
230.5 (-110)
Under
230.5 (-110)
Odds from BetOnline as of 03/27/2023
The over is 5-0 in Phoenix’s last five games played. The total has hit at least 229 points in each of their last five games played. They have also conceded at least 124 points three times in their last four games played. Meanwhile, the Jazz have conceded at least 120 points in each of their last four games played. Utah has seen the total go over 233 points in each of their last six games played.
Phoenix has been playing at a faster pace in their recent games. With Devin Booker scoring 32.5 points per game over his last 10 games and putting up 38.0 points per game against Utah this season, I expect another high-scoring game for the Suns. The Jazz should be able to put up a high output on Monday night given Phoenix’s defensive struggles without Ayton.
Prediction: Over 230.5
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