The Utah Jazz have looked very impressive to start their season, and on Tuesday night, they are scheduled to face Eastern Conference title contender Brooklyn Nets in an East vs. West matchup. Both teams are coming into this game with a different amount of growing confidence.
Jazz off to a hot start
The Jazz have been on a tear to start the campaign, sitting at a 4-2 record for fourth best in the Western Conference early on. Many believe one of the big reasons for Utah’s hot start is Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert fixing their relationship.
The team has played well on both ends of the ball, and fans hope this run will continue throughout the year.
This team is off to an impressive start and playing well on both ends of the floor, but perimeter defense continues to be a struggle for this group. While there has been some improvement, this team’s outside defense is far too shaky at times.
Despite how well the Jazz are playing right now, All-Star guard Mitchell is struggling to find his game. He certainly hasn’t been bad, averaging 20.2 points per game on the season, but he’s struggled with his efficiency, shooting a lackluster (37%) from the floor and (34%) from three.
Turnovers hurting the Nets early on
There is no denying that, offensively, the Brooklyn Nets are one of the most dangerous teams in the league. One of the reasons behind this is head coach Steve Nash and assistant coach Mike D’antoni, who implemented the “seven seconds or less” offense to start the season.
The star-studded duo of Nets forward Kevin Durant and point guard Kyrie Irving is the driving force in this new offense. They are called “7/11” and are two of the league’s best.
Despite this team’s offensive prowess, they have struggled taking care of the ball. This team ranks 25th in the league at 15.6 turnovers a game.
This is a reason behind their 3-4 start on the season. The Nets also need to address their defensive issues, allowing (113.4) points per game, which ranks 20th in the league.
Durant doesn’t even look like he’s coming off a ruptured Achilles to start the season. The superstar forward has been showing why he’s still arguably one of the best players in the league.
Durant is putting up 28 points, seven rebounds, and five assists per game while shooting (51%) from the floor and (46%) from the three. Unfortunately, Durant will be sidelined for the next four games because of exposure to someone positive with COVID-19.
Betting lines and Odds
The Utah Jazz are listed as three-point road favorites. Both the Jazz and Nets are playoffs teams, and there’s no denying the level of talent on each roster. The Nets are an elite shooting team from the perimeter, and given the Jazz’s lack of defense on the perimeter, this game should sit more in favor of the Nets.
The big news on Durant being out changes some things in this matchup. If Mitchell can have a big game and running mate point guard Mike Conley can stay hot, I like the Jazz in this one.
Free Betting Pick: Utah Jazz -3
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