Utah Jazz visit OKC in Sunday NBA betting
By: Barry Daniels
After starting the season with consecutive victories against Central Division squads, the up-and-coming Oklahoma City Thunder roll home Sunday to host a Utah Jazz team searching for its first win and NBA spread cover. The Thunder are 13-6 ATS in their last 19 series meetings against the Jazz, including going 3-1 both SU and ATS last season.
Oklahoma City is off Saturday’s thrilling 105-104 victory at Detroit, failing to cover as a five-point road favorite. The combined 209 points soared above the 195 ½-point closing total, which enabled the ‘over’ to cash in the Thunder’s first two games.
Scott Brooks’ troops opened the current campaign with a 106-95 victory against the Chicago Bulls as seven-point home favorites.
Marching to the foul line much more than the opposition was one of the consistent themes in both Oklahoma City victories. The Thunder got to the free throw line 47 times and made 38 in the home win against the Bulls. Chicago was just 13-of-22 from the charity stripe.
It is rare in the NBA when the road team receives more free throw chances than the home team, and even more unusual when there is a wide discrepancy. But that’s exactly what happened against Detroit, as Oklahoma City was 37-of-44 at the charity stripe compared to 16-of-20 for the Pistons.
So, constantly driving to the basket in its first two games has resulted in Oklahoma City strutting to the charity stripe 95 times compared to just 42 for the opposition.
Though Kevin Durant led the Thunder against the Pistons with 30 points, he was just 9-of-24 from the field. However, last year’s scoring champ was 11-of-14 from the charity stripe and contributed eight rebounds.
Jeff Green, who notched the winning basket on a driving layup with 2.5 seconds remaining in regulation, added 21 points. Russell Westbrook had 17 points and handed out 11 assists while running the offense from the point guard position.
The Thunder won the game despite shooting just 38 percent from the field compared to 47 percent for the Pistons. But the Thunder out-rebounded Detroit, 59-49, and forced the Pistons into 18 turnovers.
Utah, which usually prides itself on playing some tight defense http://www.donbest.com/nba/defensive-stats/, has begun the campaign by allowing 110 points in each of its first two games.
The Jazz dropped a 110-88 decision at Denver in their season opener as 3 ½-point road underdogs. The combined 198 points dipped ‘under’ the 209 ½-point closing total.
Utah then returned home the very next night only to be scorched by the Suns, 110-94, as a 7 ½-point home favorite. The combined 204 points again ducked ‘under’ the 209-point closing total.
The Jazz began their home opener by sleepwalking through the opening minutes against the Suns. A 14-5 deficit soon became a 16-point halftime disadvantage, as Phoenix pounded away from the perimeter and easily glided through a Jazz defense that was often lost in transition.
Al Jefferson scored a game-high 20 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead Utah, while Paul Millsap added 19 points and 13 rebounds.
Utah struggled from the field for the second consecutive game. The Jazz shot just 42.9 percent (36-of-84), while Deron Williams and Jefferson combined to connect on only 11 of their 30 attempts.
The Thunder captured three of the four meetings against the Jazz last season, with the ‘over’ cashing on three occasions.
Oklahoma City won both games on its home floor, one as a favorite and one as a dog. The first home game saw the Thunder register an 87-86 win as three-point home underdogs. That was the lone meeting to dip ‘under’ the closing total.
The Thunder were installed as three-point favorites in the next home meeting against the Jazz and covered the spread en route to a 119-111 victory.
Utah will be off until next Wednesday when it returns home to host the Raptors. Oklahoma City will play back-to-back road games on Wednesday and Thursday against the Clippers and Blazers, respectively.