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While the San Antonio Spurs welcomed back their top player, the Utah Jazz watched one of theirs go back on the shelf. Things haven’t been all peachy for the Spurs since the return of Kawhi Leonard, but they are a much better team with the former defensive player of the year on the floor. The Spurs are working Leonard back slowly after he missed the first 27 games of the year and as always Gregg Popovich is looking at the big picture. That view got worse for the Jazz, who saw Rudy Gobert go down with another knee injury, putting him on the shelf for a few weeks.
Don’t miss the hardwood action from Vivint Smart Home Arena at 10:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, December 21, 2017. Catch every moment of the game live on TNT. We’ll have NBA opening odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the NBA Thursday schedule.
Odds Analysis
The Spurs will likely be laying a few points on the road but they’ve struggled lately losing four straight ATS while going 2-2 SU. The line will be smaller if Leonard and Tony Parker don’t play, which is possible on the second of a back-to-back. And the Jazz are home after a season-long six-game road trip, but they’ll be without their anchor in the middle. Utah is 11-5 ATS at home and 17-13 overall, but beating the Spurs will be a difficult chore.
Injury Report
The Jazz won 51 games and the Midwest Division title last season thanks in part to the duo of Gordon Hayward and Gobert. Things took a turn in Salt Lake City, however, when Hayward left for Boston as a free agent during the offseason, leaving Gobert as the face of the franchise. When he’s on the floor, Gobert is an intimidating force in the middle. He was a contender for defensive player of the year after leading the NBA with 2.64 blocks per game while pulling down nearly 13 boards last season.
If the Jazz are going to have any success this season, they need Gobert to put up similar numbers and stay on the floor. The stats are there; Gobert is averaging 11.6 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game this season. However, it’s been a struggle to remain on the court. He missed 11 games earlier this season due to an injury, and while the club was 7-4 SU and ATS, the points per game allowed increased and for a team that struggles to score, that’s not a good sign.
Scheduling Situation
The first two games of San Antonio’s three-game road trip come on consecutive nights with the game in Utah being the second. Back-to-backs have posed a problem for Popovich since the return of Parker and Leonard to the lineup. The Spurs are easing Leonard back into the rotation after he missed the first 27 games and he’s unlikely to play against the Jazz. Parker has also had a restriction on his minutes and he has sat in the second game of a back-to-back.
With both players sitting on Saturday, the Spurs rallied for a win over Dallas in the second of a back-to-back scenario while winning their last three such games. Overall the Spurs are 5-2 SU but just 2-5 ATS in the second game while cashing the under in each of their last four. The Jazz are also playing the second of a back-to-back and have lost their last two. But they are a good bet in those situations with a 6-1 ATS record.
Free NBA ATS Picks
The Spurs have been able to stay near the top of the Western Conference while waiting for Leonard and Parker to return. They’re back now, but Pop has limited their minutes and sat both in the second of a back-to-back. They probably won’t play against the Jazz, but even without their stars the Spurs are a pretty good team.
The absence of Gobert opens up the middle of the floor and that’s where the Spurs excel. LaMarcus Aldridge has carried the team averaging over 22 points per game and Pau Gasol is still effective at his advanced age. And the Spurs have had plenty of success over the Jazz recently winning 12 of the last 16 meetings. The totals are typically low when these teams meet but they’ve been able to cash the over in each of the last four and in nine of the last 13 meetings.
NBA Odds: Spurs 104, Jazz 101
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