Utah Jazz at Philadelphia 76ers
The Utah Jazz (5-1 SU, 3-3 ATS) have managed to do very well without star point guard Deron Williams. On Tuesday night they will take on the Philadelphia 76ers (2-4 SU & ATS), who have had a lot of time to ponder their slow start, in NBA sports betting action that is set to get underway at 7 PM ET at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia.
BetUS NBA Sports Betting Odds: PHILADELPHIA -4.5, Total 191
Here are some of the NBA pro basketball sports betting trends as they relate to this matchup:
* UTAH has won five of its last six games SU
* UTAH has played four of its last six games UNDER the total
* UTAH has covered two of its last six road games
* UTAH has lost five of its last six road games SU
* UTAH has played six of its last eight road games UNDER the total
* PHIL has covered two of its last nine games
* PHIL has lost seven of its last nine games SU
* PHIL has played six of its last seven games UNDER the total
* PHIL has won 16 of its last 24 home games SU
* PHIL has played seven of its last eight home games UNDER the total
Also…
* UTAH has won five of the last six meetings SU
* Eight of the last ten meetings have gone OVER the total
* UTAH has won and covered four of the last five meetings as the road team
* Four of the last five meetings in Philadelphia have gone OVER the total
Deron Williams, who has been out of action from the outset with his ankle injury, is finally getting involved in practices for the Jazz, but he is still doubtful to return this soon. With Ronnie Price doing a decent job in his stead (2.5-to-1 assist-turnover ratio), there may not be the urgency to bring him back so soon.
But now the Jazz has a problem with its big men.
Mehmet Okur, the All-Star center, has taken a leave from the team to return to Turkey as he attends to a family situation. Jarrod Collins is likely out with an elbow injury, while the backup, Kyrylo Fesenko, has visa problems. This may leave Jerry Sloan with rookie Kosta Koufos, who has a game not unlike Okur and who played just one season at Ohio State. His NBA experience is not extensive; in fact, it consists of just seven minutes of play.
There is the possibility that Sloan could be using Carlos Boozer at the center position, but that would present a tough scenario if he is matched up against defensive standout Samuel Dalembert (10.8 rebounds, 1.8 blocks per game). Utah is lucky that Elton Brand is lukewarm right now, having scored just 18 points in his last two games. But Philly has been intensifying practices that are designed to get Brand more touches in the low post, which, if successful, could help Mo Cheeks’ team hit the jackpot here.
Overall, however, healthier Philadelphia, which comes in with four full days of rest and has shot 59% in each of its last two home games, should be able to make its running game work, even in spite of its terrible turnover numbers (17.8 per game). Let’s look for the Sixers to have another hot game at home, which will be enough to cover the 4.5 points in the BetUS NBA pro basketball sports betting odds.
