The Utah Jazz have won two straight games to take the series lead against the Oklahoma City Thunder, as they prepare for a pivotal Game 4 matchup. Utah is at home and will be the favorite next time out, as a victory would give it a 3-1 lead and make the Jazz large favorites to advance to the Western Conference semifinals.
However, the first three games have been competitive and it wouldn’t be a surprise at all to see the Thunder step up in a big way and even this series. This game will be must-see TV as a pair of evenly matched teams face off with a ton on the line.
There is no doubt the intensity will be sky-high as the Thunder will aim to avoid a 3-1 hole while Utah aims to take total control of the series in NBA basketball gambling.
Game 4 of this NBA Playoff Series is on Monday, April 23, 2018 at 10:30 p.m. ET at the Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. The contest will be nationally televised on TNT.
We'll have NBA odds at BookMaker.eu available for every game of the 2018 NBA Playoffs.
Odds Analysis
The Jazz are listed as 5.5-point favorites in this contest. Oklahoma City is the choice by the majority of bettors, as nearly 70 percent of the action is on the Thunder to cover.
The scoring total is listed at 209 points. These games have been higher-scoring than one may have thought entering the series. Each side of the over/under is getting a solid amount of action as gamblers are split on how many points will be scored in this one.
Utah is listed as the -250 favorite on the moneyline, which is a pretty big number. Okahoma City is the +207 underdog and is unsurprisingly getting about 79 percent of the action. The Thunder winning outright is certainly an intriguing wager in NBA basketball betting.
Last Time Out
Utah fell behind after the first quarter in Game 3 but dominated the rest of the way in a 115-102 victory. Point guard Ricky Rubio had a sensational game, finishing with 26 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. All five Jazz starters finished in double figures as their balance and depth was more valuable than Oklahoma City’s star power in this one.
Thunder guard Russell Westbrook struggled as he finished with only 14 points on 5-of-17 from the floor. Paul George led the way for Oklahoma City with 23 points, but when Westbrook struggles the team is often going to be in trouble because he is such a huge piece of the equation.
Key Stat
17. That’s how many years ago John Stockton registered a triple-double for Utah, which was the most recent one for Utah before Rubio’s fantastic feat in Game 3. While Rubio has always had great court vision, he has really picked up his overall game this season.
There are some outstanding guards in this series between Westbrook and Donovan Mitchell, but Rubio is having as big of an impact as anyone. If he has a similar performance in Game 4 then Utah will have a great shot at taking a 3-1 win.
Westbrook has promised that Rubio won’t have another outing like that one, so that matchup will be an interesting one to watch. However, if the Thunder do place a lot of emphasis in slowing down Rubio, it may be able to open up more opportunities for Mitchell to take control.
Free NBA ATS Picks
Utah is the more complete team and should be the choice to win this game and also cover the spread. Most casual bettors see Westbrook and believe he will lead his team to the win, but Utah is deeper and has the home court advantage.
The spread may shrink because of all the action on OKC. Wait until right before the game and then jump on the Jazz to cover. Utah will take a 3-1 series lead with a big win in NBA basketball gambling.
NBA ATS Pick: Jazz 103, Thunder 97
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