NBA: Utah Jazz vs. New York Knicks Preview, Odds, Prediction

New York Knicks host Lauri Markkanen and the Utah Jazz, with both teams playing on their second of back-to-back nights. Unlike the Knicks, who suffered a defeat against the Philadelphia 76ers, the Jazz was better than the Toronto Raptors on the road. Utah is barely below the .500 and is trying to regain its pace from the early part of the year once they played maybe the most appealing basketball in the league. On the other side are the Knicks, whose inconsistency is the only constant thing about them. Though, in recent times, we saw them winning some games.

For more previews, click here.

Preview

Utah Jazz (28-29, +165) snapped a three-game losing streak by defeating the Toronto Raptors in Canada last night. Following a negative stretch at home, where they couldn’t find the proper pace and had some injury troubles, they surprised everyone in Canada and took a W in one pretty tough place. 

The final result of that game was 122-116 for the guests from Utah, who appeared without Jordan Clarkson, but on the other side, had three players with 20+ buckets. Lauri Markkanen had 23 and nine boards, the same as Walker Kessler, who shot much better than his teammate, 10-for-12 from the field.

We saw Colin Sexton reminding us of his potential, with the shooting guard scoring 22 points, assisting six times, and rebounding on five occasions. The Jazz won this event with only six threes made in 24 tries. 

New York Knicks (30-27, -200) suffered a 119-108 loss in Wells Fargo Center against the 76ers. They stopped in the final 12 minutes, scoring only 12 points while allowing 27, which was why the Sixers ended up on the winning side.

Julius Randle had a good game, 30 points, 11-for-20 from the field, ten boards, and five threes. Jalen Brunson also reached 30 points, with nine assists and seven boards, 12-for-19 from the field. 

The problem for Tom Thibodeau was the versatility on the offensive side because only these two guys contributed in that area, and that wasn’t enough to beat one of the title contenders in their house. Also, only 35 boards are something that hurt their prospects for winning badly, along with the fact that Philly shot 51.8% from the field. 

Head to Head Games

The Knicks visited the Jazz in mid-November and triumphed 118-111. A strong final period decided this clash, with the teams being leveled throughout the first three sequences. Jalen Brunson had 25 points and eight assists, while Cam Reddish scored 19 points, one more than RJ Barrett. Randle had only 15. Kelly Olynyk posted a double-double with 27 buckets and 11 boards, while Markkanen had just 13. Clarkson scored 15. 

Prediction

Clarkson is doubtful, yet his illness will for sure leave some mark on his game even if he appears on the floor. That’s the only reason why we take under 230.5 points. He is the one who pushes the pace for the Jazz, and his illness, combined with the Knicks’ rigid approach at home on certain occasions, is the reason why we take under here. The odds are -110. Don’t take any other picks here because the game can go either way, with both teams oscillating. 

Picks: Under 230.5 points -110