NBA championship odds had Denver as one of the top challengers to Los Angeles’ reign in the Western Conference, but they head into Thursday’s Game 5 against the Jazz trying to stave off elimination to send the series back to Utah, and there have been some obvious signs of disharmony in the locker room.
Jazz vs Nuggets odds – Wednesday, April 28, 10:30 PM ET
The Nuggets fell 117-106 in Utah in Game 4, and after the game, Carmelo Anthony called out some of his teammates for not playing hard. J.R. Smith (in the “pot calling kettle black” statement of the year) responded on his Twitter feed by saying Anthony was selfish and the reason they lost. The Nuggets did have only 13 assists in the game, but Anthony had a game-high 39 points on 13-of-26 shooting and surely can’t be to blame for the loss (meanwhile, Smith was 3-of-11 for 10 points). Anthony wasn’t the problem, it was a leaky defense that allowed the Jazz to do whatever they wanted.
The Jazz shot 53.2% from the floor, powered by 31 points and 13 boards from Carlos Boozer, who abused an obviously-still-hurt Kenyon Martin, while Deron Williams had 24 points and 13 boards, and he’s probably been the best player in the West so far in these playoffs. The Jazz had 24 assists and were moving the ball around, and their play without two of their starters has been nothing short of outstanding. Of course, it always helps to play a team that is imploding, but you have to think that the Jazz are aiding in Denver’s self-destruction.
The Nuggets will probably be favored at home by NBA betting odds, but the Jazz have shown they can win in Denver as they proved in their 114-111 Game 2 victory. The Nuggets are going to have to get their act together in a hurry if they want to extend their series, because no amount of talent will help a team that can’t get out of their own way. Martin hasn’t been anywhere close to 100% since spending the better part of the season’s second half on the bench with a knee injury, and he is clearly no match for Boozer, who is averaging 22 points and 11 boards in the series. Meanwhile, Chauncey Billups is having a tough time keeping up with Williams, who is making a claim for the NBA’s best point guard: Williams has put up 26.8 points and 12 assists in this series, hitting eight of his 16 three-point attempts. If the Nuggets’ defense doesn’t step up, this season is over, and we’re betting on the Jazz to be able to get that one important stop. Go with Utah
online sportsbetting pick:. Utah
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