A pair of Western Conference rivals will meet up in Salt Lake City for an NBA battle on Wednesday night. The Utah Jazz will be looking to snap a brief two-game losing streak when they host the defending champion Golden State Warriors. The two teams met earlier this season in Utah, and it was the Warriors coming away with a 124-123 victory.
The Jazz have lost four of their last five games and are currently outside of the playoff picture in the Western Conference. Utah has gone just 14-17 to start the season and are in last place in the Northwest Division. The Warriors have won six of their last seven games, and are starting to look like the champs again. Golden State enters this game with a 21-10 record and are in first place in the Pacific Division. The Warriors are a four-point favorite over the Jazz on Wednesday night.
Jazz Can Defend, Can’t Score
The Utah Jazz are an incredibly hard team to figure out this season, but the stats tell a large part of the story. The Jazz are giving up and averaging 106.5 points per game this season, and they are just an average NBA team. The scoring average places them in the bottom of the NBA, while their defense is one of the top-five units in the league. Utah will need to get more consistent scoring if they are going to get back into playoff contention.
Second-year shooting guard Donovan Mitchell leads the team with 21 points per game but is shooting just 30 percent from the three-point line. Veteran center Rudy Gobert is playing at an All-Star level this season, averaging 14.5 points, 12.3 rebounds and 2 blocks per game this season. Mitchell and Gobert have been carrying the Jazz this season, but they need help along the way.
Warriors Offense Starting To Roll
Speaking of offense, the Golden State Warriors appear to have found their rhythm again. The Warriors are averaging 116 points per game so far this season, making them the third highest scoring team in the league. Golden State continues to play beautiful team basketball, averaging a league-high 27.9 assists per game. If the Warriors offense is clicking in this game, they might just run away from the Jazz.
Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry are both averaging 28.8 points per game this season. Durant has been attacking the rim much more this season and is shooting 51 percent from the floor. Curry continues to prove that he is the best shooter in the history of the NBA, connecting on 48 percent of their three-point attempts this season. Golden State went through a funk in November, but they are rolling again.
Golden State Wins In Utah
Utah is always one of the best home-court advantages in the NBA, but the Jazz have gone just 5-6 at home so far this season. The Warriors looked vulnerable through November, but they have proven that they are still the top team in the Western Conference. Utah will present a tough test defensively, but the Warriors offense is still too good. Bet the Golden State Warriors -4.0 over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night.
