San Antonio Spurs vs. Utah Jazz Prediction, Preview, and Odds – 2-25-2024 – Stat Salt
A pair of Western Conference bottom feeders meet up when the Spurs visit the Jazz on Sunday night. San Antonio (11-46 SU, 27-30 ATS) lost at the Lakers on Friday night, 123-118, as +11 underdogs. Utah (26-31 SU, 31-26 ATS) got taken out by Charlotte on Thursday, 115-107, as -9.5 home faves. They’ll tip this one off at 8:10 EST from the Delta Center.
Lessons continue for young San Antonio
The Spurs are playing for lottery balls at this point as they rest comfortably in the basement of the Western Conference, losers of three straight games. Over their last five games, the offense scored 111.6 points per game as the team went 1-4 SU. San Antonio is averaging 112.1 points per game for the season, 24th in the NBA, and they are shooting 46% from the field and 36.3% from beyond the arc. They are averaging 12.4 three pointers a night, and 15.7 free throws but they also lose the ball 14.2 times per game by way of turnover. Their 2.01 assist-to-turnover ratio ranks 16th in the league. Victor Wembanyama scored a team-high 27 points against the Lakers, shooting 7-16 from the field and 10-11 from the line. The rookie center is averaging 20.1 points per game to lead San Antonio.
On the defensive end, the Spurs are allowing 120.6 points per game, 25th in the league. Teams are shooting 49.3% from the field and 38.5% from three-point range against them, while knocking down 13.4 threes and 16.9 free throws per game. San Antonio averages 43.2 rebound per game and have a -2.7-rebound differential. They are also averaging 7.3 steals and 6.1 blocks per game. Wemby recorded a second straight double-double with 10 rebounds in the loss against L.A. He also added five assists and five blocks and continues to lead the league with 3.3 blocks per game.
Marcus Morris Jr., who has not suited up for the club and is expected to be bought out, will not play.
Utah on a slippery slope
Things weren’t so bad for the Jazz who were at .500 before hitting a five-game losing streak that cemented them into 13th place, four games below the play-in line. They’ve averaged 117.6 points per game over their current losing streak and this season Utah’s offense is averaging 117.8 a game, the ninth best mark in the NBA. They are shooting 47% from the field and 35.6% from beyond the arc and they average 13.2 threes and 19.2 free throws per game. The Jazz turn the ball over a league-high 15.2 times per game and their 1.79 assist-to-turnover ratio ranks 25th in the league. Lauri Markkanen went for a team-high 21 points against Charlotte, shooting 5-14 from the field and 9-10 from the line. He missed a double-double by one rebound and also added six assists.
The defense of Utah is giving up 120.6 points per game on the year, 26th in the NBA. Opponents are shooting 48.3% from the field and 39.1% from beyond the arc and they are knocking down 14.5 three pointers and 17 free throws per game against the Jazz. They are second in the league with 46.8 rebounds per game, helping them to a +4.8-rebound differential. The defense is also averaging 6.6 steals and 5.9 blocks per game. Forward John Collins came down with a season-high 18 rebounds. The forward, who averages 8.4 rebounds per game this season, has averaged 13.7 boards over his last three outings.
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Best Bets
Full-Game Side Bet
Rating:
This will be the second meeting of the season between the teams, with one more meeting scheduled before the end of the regular season. When they faced off at the end of December it was the Jazz who walked away the victors, 130-118, as -3 favorites on the road. Both teams knocked down 16 three pointers in that game, something we probably shouldn’t expect this time around. Utah lost the turnover battle, 14-9, and the rebound battle, 36-34, yet still managed to win going away. They have the big bodies down low to contend with Wembanyama and forced him outside a bit more. While Utah has been struggling of late, this is their golden opportunity to snap out of it. Their offense has continued to put up points over their losing streak, so they’ll be ready to roll here. Utah is 3-1 ATS in their last four games against the Spurs and 18-10 ATS at home this season, per TeamRankings.com.
Take Utah giving the points.
Prediction: Utah -7
Full-Game Total Pick
Rating:
The prior meeting between these two produced a combined 248 points to hit over versus a 140.5 total. Between the two teams this season there have been a combined 60 games that have hit on the over. These are two of the bottom six defenses in the league so they are more than willing to let the opposition run so long as their offenses can as well. DunksandThrees.com ranks the Spurs fourth in the league in pace and the Jazz rank eighth, so we have a pair of up-tempo teams who can get up-and-down the court quickly. San Antonio has scored at least 118 points in each of their last two games and have allowed over 120 in each. Even in the midst of a five-game losing streak, Utah has managed to put up 122 points or more in two of their last three games and in four of their last seven. The defense has given up at least 129 points four times over the last five games. The over has hit the last two times these teams met and in three of the last five meetings.
Take the over.
Prediction: Over 240.5
