Utah Jazz @ Portland Trail Blazers - December 26, 2024

As the Utah Jazz prepare to face off against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center, we can expect an intriguing matchup between two teams struggling to find their footing this season. With the Trail Blazers opening as 3-point favorites, it’s essential to dig deeper into the numbers to understand what might unfold on Thursday night.

Starting with the offensive stats, the Jazz have a slight edge, averaging 110.3 points per game on a shooting percentage of 45.9%. In contrast, the Trail Blazers are scoring just 107.1 points per game with a lower shooting percentage of 44.2%. The disparity extends beyond just raw points; Utah also boasts a better three-point shooting percentage (36.6% compared to Portland’s 33.3%) and averages more assists (24.6 versus Portland’s 22.7).

Defensively, both teams have their weaknesses but show some promise in rebounding. The Jazz average nearly one more rebound per game than the Blazers (44.8 vs. 43.2), which could prove crucial in limiting second-chance opportunities for Portland while creating extra possessions for themselves.

Now let’s consider recent performances: The Jazz come into this game having covered in four of their last six road games and showing resilience despite their overall record of 7-21 SU and 13-15 ATS. They lost by just 11 points against Cleveland recently but managed to cover as heavy underdogs (+14). This trend suggests that they may be finding ways to keep games competitive even when facing tough opponents.

On the other hand, Portland is struggling significantly with a record of just 9-20 SU and only covering three times in their last nine outings (3-6 ATS). Their recent loss against Dallas saw them fail miserably as +12.5 underdogs, raising questions about their ability to compete consistently.

Both teams have shown tendencies toward high-scoring affairs lately—Utah has gone OVER in seven of its last eight games, while Portland has seen six of its last nine go OVER as well. Given these trends combined with both squads’ defensive lapses—Portland allows opponents an average of over 112 points per game—it’s reasonable to predict that we’ll see plenty of scoring action tonight.

In conclusion, I anticipate that the Utah Jazz will pull off an upset victory over the Trail Blazers while also covering the spread due to their slightly superior offensive efficiency and rebounding prowess coupled with Portland’s ongoing struggles on both ends of the court. Expect a fast-paced game where both teams push for offense leading us towards yet another OVER outcome based on current trends!