Jazz Reclaim Top Spot In Northwest Division Odds at -175; Nuggets Fade to +140
- The Utah Jazz currently lead the Northwest Division with 32-14 record
- The Denver Nuggets find themselves just half a game behind the Jazz in the division
- Does Utah have what it takes to hold off the Nuggets and claim the Northwest Division title?
The Utah Jazz and the Denver Nuggets will be butting heads for the rest of the season to claim the Northwest Division title, as the Nuggets are just half a game behind the Jazz.
The Jazz have reclaimed the top spot in the Northwest all thanks to their 11-2 record since the start of 2020. The Nuggets have not completely fallen off, but hold a 9-5 record since the new year.
The Nuggets had been the favorite to win the Northwest since mid-November. However, with Utah’s recent push they are now the odds-on favorite at -175.
Can the Jazz hold on to win their fourth division title in franchise history?
Odds to Win NBA Northwest Division
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Utah Jazz | -175 |
| Denver Nuggets | +140 |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | +2000 |
| Portland Trail Blazers | +10000 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | +100000 |
Odds taken January 28.
Recent Line Movement in the Northwest
In the 2020 NBA Divisional Odds, the Nuggets had been the favorites for just over two months. Considering the Jazz were favored to win this division at the beginning of the season, this makes me believe a lot of the original backers had been hammering the Jazz when they were underdogs.
Since mid-November, the Oklahoma City Thunder’s improved play has brought their odds from +11650 all the way to +2000. The Thunder are a potential dark horse to win the Northwest, as they are five games behind the Jazz at this point.
Even with Oklahoma City’s resurgence, I would still call this a two-team race. Portland and Minnesota need a miracle to corral themselves and make up for their poor play this season. The Trail Blazers are 12.5 games behind the Jazz, while the Timberwolves are 17.5 games behind.
This picture sums up Minnesota’s season perfectly…
Timberwolves lost this game. pic.twitter.com/10WRCWQi6j
— Michael ?? | ? | (@30LikeImCurry) January 28, 2020
New Year, New Utah Jazz?
The Jazz have certainly given Utah fans some hope in 2020. The Jazz started the new year with seven straight wins. Let’s take a closer look at who the Jazz have beaten since the end of 2019.
The Jazz fell at the hands of the Rockets earlier this week (Jan 27) 126-117. Houston was without Russell Westbrook or James Harden, but Eric Gordon made up for their absences dropping 50 points on the Jazz. This was Utah’s second loss in 2020.
Before this loss, the Jazz had been on a tear, right? Well, not exactly.
In Utah’s seven-game win streak to start the new year, they did not play a single team with a winning record. The best team they played was the Brooklyn Nets, who’s current winning percentage is .422.
They have only played three teams with a winning record in the new year. They beat Indiana and Dallas but lost to the Rockets. Their team is at full strength right now with no lingering injuries, which gives them confidence heading into the final stretch of the season.
No Harden. No Westbrook. No Capela. Against the team with one of the best streaks right now – Jazz at Utah. What an unexpected win.
— St_Hill (@St_Hill) January 28, 2020
Although the Jazz have been winning a lot of games recently, I am still not convinced they have what it takes to continue this hot run. In February, the Jazz have 10 games, but just three of them are against teams without winning records.
They also have to play the Nuggets four times before the season ends.
Don’t Lose Faith in Denver
With how well the Jazz have been playing, the Nuggets have fallen by wayside. Which means there is no better time to bet the Nuggets to win the Northwest then right now.
There is no reason to panic if you are a Nuggets fan. Like I mentioned in my Best Bets to Win Each Division in the Western Conference article before the season started, the Nuggets have one of the most complete rosters in the entire NBA.
Getting to a 9-5 record since the start of 2020 has not been easy for the Nuggets. Unlike the Jazz, the Nuggets have played competitive basketball teams, beating the likes of Indiana, Houston, Dallas, and the Los Angeles Clippers.
What the Nuggets need to clean up in the last two months of the season is beating the “easy teams”. The Nuggets have dropped games against Washington, Cleveland, and Memphis recently. The Nuggets will play five teams below .500 in each of the next two months.
Denver is only half a game behind the Jazz in the Northwest Division title race. The Nuggets are a better overall team than the Jazz and have an easier schedule remaining. Denver has the better value at +140, so that would be my pick right now. This will hands-down be the most exciting division race to watch in the upcoming months.
With 5+ years of sports journalism under his belt, Ryan Sura may be young, but he's already making his mark. Ryan is the lead NHL editor at SBD, along with managing content for MMA, Boxing, and Racing. He is also the commercial manager, highlighting the best promos at online sportsbooks across US.
