NBA Free Pick – Wednesday, December 29, 2010
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Utah Jazz @ Los Angeles Clippers
Wednesday, December 29, 2010 at 10:30 pm EST on NBA TV
Pointspread: Jazz -2 ½
Over/Under: 194 ½
The Utah Jazz will look to increase their lead over Oklahoma City in the Northwest Division when they take on the Los Angeles Clippers tonight at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Tip-off is set for 10:30 p.m. (ET) and the game will be broadcast on NBATV.
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Utah’s three game winning streak came to an end with a 96-91 loss to Portland on Monday night in a game it was favored to win by 7 ½ points at home. The Jazz had no answer for a 9-2 run by the Blazers in the fourth quarter that put them down for good. The loss drops Utah to 21-10 straight-up and 17-13-1 against the spread for the year and 6-4 SU in their last 10 games. It still leads Oklahoma by a half a game in the division and is in third place in the Western Conference.
Through the first 31 games, Derron Williams leads the Jazz in scoring with 22.6 points per game, while Al Jefferson is the leading rebounder with an average of 8.8 per game. Paul Millsap has also been a key contributor with 17.6 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. Utah is averaging 100.2 points per game while holding its opponents to 97.1. Its 46.4 shooting percentage from the field is 11th best in the league and its 79.4 percentage from the free-throw line is fourth best.
Los Angeles has strung together five wins in its last six games including a thrilling 100-99 win over Sacramento as a one-point road favorite on Tuesday night. The Clippers are inching their way back to some level of respectability but still have a long way to go to get back into contention in the West. They are currently 10-22 SU but are over .500 at 16-15-1 ATS. Last night’s win leaves them 11 ½ games behind the Lakers in the Pacific Division and third from last in the West.
One of the main bright spots for the Clippers this season has been the play of Blake Griffin, who has become daily highlight reel on ESPN with his thunderous dunks. Griffin is averaging 21.2 points per game and leads the team with 12.4 rebounds per game. Eric Gordon leads the team in scoring with 23.9 points per game and Baron Davis leads in assists with 6.4. LA is averaging 97.1 points per game and giving up an average of 100.7. As a team, they are shooting 45.6 percent from the floor and 33.3 percent from three-point range, which is fifth best in the league.
Utah is 2-3 ATS in its last five games on the road and 3-4 ATS in its last seven games overall. The total has stayed ‘under’ in five of its last six games.
Los Angeles is 3-3 ATS in its last six home games and 4-1-1 ATS in its last six games overall. The total has gone ‘over’ in five of its last seven games.
Head-to-head, the Jazz have won nine out of the last 10 games SU including two games this season and is 8-2 ATS. Last time they met, Utah came away with a 109-97 win as a six-point road favorite. Earlier in the season, the Jazz won 109-107 in overtime as an 11 ½-point home favorite.
This time around the thin 2 ½-point spread reflects the Clippers improved play, but it also presents an opportunity to make some money on the Jazz, who are coming off a loss. Utah has not lost back-to-back games since opening the season 0-2.
The odds makers have the Utah Jazz as a -2.5 point favorite with an over/under of 194.5.
Utah Jazz Betting Trends:
- Utah is 13-5 SU in its last 18 games
- The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Utah’s last 6 games
- The total has gone OVER in 13 of Utah’s last 19 games on the road
- Utah is 9-2 SU in its last 11 games on the road
Los Angeles Clippers Betting Trends:
- LA Clippers are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games
- The total has gone OVER in 5 of the LA Clippers last 7 games
- LA Clippers are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games
- The total has gone UNDER in 7 of the LA Clippers last 8 games at home
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