The Utah Jazz look to follow up their win at Sacramento last night when they host the red-hot Portland Trailblazers at the Delta Center.
The Blazers are 28-15 SU and 22-19-2 ATS this season. They have coped exceptionally well with All-Star Forward Rasheed Wallace's absence going 5-1 SU during his suspension, thanks largely to Zach Randolph stepping up the last six games to average 11.5 points and 5.8 boards.
The Jazz are 26-18 SU and an almost identical 25-18-1 ATS. Last night at Sacramento they recovered from coach Sloan's first quarter ejection and took advantage of Chris Webber's injury to post a 102-92 win.
While both these teams are playing the second of back-to-back games they enter this one from very different psychological perspectives. The Blazers were possibly already looking ahead to tonight's game when they struggled to shake off the woeful Nuggets last night at home as 15 point chalk. Meanwhile the Jazz have to try and 'come down' within 24 hours from the emotional high of their unexpected and tumultuous win at Sacramento. They have lost their last two at home to the Spurs and Clippers so to be laying 5 points tonight against a team that has won 18 of it's last 22 overall and it's last four straight on the road may prove beyond them.
In fact in their last 13 road games the Blazers have won SU or lost by less than 5 points all but once.
Tonight we expect a very close game and will take the red-hot Blazers to keep it close enough to get the cover.
Recommended Play: Portland +5
The Blazers are 28-15 SU and 22-19-2 ATS this season. They have coped exceptionally well with All-Star Forward Rasheed Wallace's absence going 5-1 SU during his suspension, thanks largely to Zach Randolph stepping up the last six games to average 11.5 points and 5.8 boards.
The Jazz are 26-18 SU and an almost identical 25-18-1 ATS. Last night at Sacramento they recovered from coach Sloan's first quarter ejection and took advantage of Chris Webber's injury to post a 102-92 win.
While both these teams are playing the second of back-to-back games they enter this one from very different psychological perspectives. The Blazers were possibly already looking ahead to tonight's game when they struggled to shake off the woeful Nuggets last night at home as 15 point chalk. Meanwhile the Jazz have to try and 'come down' within 24 hours from the emotional high of their unexpected and tumultuous win at Sacramento. They have lost their last two at home to the Spurs and Clippers so to be laying 5 points tonight against a team that has won 18 of it's last 22 overall and it's last four straight on the road may prove beyond them.
In fact in their last 13 road games the Blazers have won SU or lost by less than 5 points all but once.
Tonight we expect a very close game and will take the red-hot Blazers to keep it close enough to get the cover.
Recommended Play: Portland +5