Neither the Utah Jazz nor the Denver Nuggets are going to win any popularity contests with the gambling public. Rarely has either one of them been a public wagering favorite for any length of time since Karl Malone and John Stockton departed the Jazz. However, there are occasions where both the Nuggets and Jazz do provide hidden value against the more popular teams. Problematic was their inconsistent play and value during much of the 2019-20 season. Perhaps the biggest problem that each team has is a lack of scoring depth and consistent offenses that can reliably score. On the positive both teams bring solid defenses. Denver edged out the Jazz for the top spot in the Northwest Division. Overall, these rivals are similar both on the hardwood and on the wagering board.
This best of seven Western Conference playoff series will take place at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida. Tip-off for game one is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. ET on Monday, August 17, 2020 and will be broadcast on ESPN. You can bet on NBA Odds at Bookmaker.eu for the remainder of the season
Nuggets vs. Jazz Series Schedule
Game 1: Monday, August 17, 12:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Game 2: Wednesday, August 19, 3 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 3: Friday, August 21, 4 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 4: Sunday, August 23, 9 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 5: Tuesday, August 25, TBD
Game 6: Thursday, August 27, TBD
Game 7: Saturday, August 29, TBD
Futures Odds Analysis
For this playoffs series the Nuggets opened as a -220 favorite with the Jazz at +180 as the underdog.
Denver is a +2500-betting choice to win the NBA Playoffs and is posted at +1100 to win the Western Conference.
Utah is a +4000 public betting choice for the NBA championship and is at +1700 for the Western Conference title.
Neither one of these teams has any sort of public gambling cache. Squares don’t understand or recognize their potential worth. Sharps like each team on occasion especially against marquee brands, due to the extra value that they can provide.
Head to Head Results
Denver won and covered all three of their games with the Jazz this past season. Two of those three games also went under the total. Longer term the Nuggets have come away with the cash in six of their last nine meetings with Utah. A whopping 16 of the last 20 games between these two teams have stayed under the total.
Key Stats
Denver has been in good recent form with four covers in their last six games. The Nuggets have trended over the total in eight of their last 10 games. Denver has NBA metrics of 18th for scoring offense and 10th for points allowed.
For the Jazz the results have been somewhat similar in that they have come away with the cash in three of their last four games. And four of their last five have gone over the total. Utah ranks 19th in the NBA for scoring offense and ninth for points allowed.
Players to Watch
C Nikola Jokic is the man to watch for the Nuggets. The All Star leads Denver with 20.2 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 7.1 assists per game.
SG Donovan Mitchell triggers the Utah attack. Mitchell leads the Jazz with 24.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game. Of great concern is the season ending wrist injury to Bojan Bogdanovic, who was averaging 20.2 points per game.
NBA Odds Pick
This is as even of a series as can be found in the first round. The difference could be depth and the injury to Bogdanovic, who otherwise could have given Utah a slight advantage.
Prediction: Denver Nuggets
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook!
