Upcoming Match-ups
Tmrw
29
Apr
7:30 PM
BOS
MIA
-10.5
+10.5
203
8:30 PM
OKC
NO
-4.5
+4.5
205
10:00 PM
LAL
DEN
+7.5
-7.5
218.5
Tuesday
30
Apr
1:00 PM
ORL
CLE
+4.5
-4.5
200.5
7:00 PM
PHI
NY
--
--
--

Nuggets vs Jazz Odds & Picks

Chris Amberley

by Chris Amberley in NBA Basketball

Updated Feb 2, 2022 · 8:32 AM PST

Nikola Jokic dribbles up court
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) in the second half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, Jan. 23, 2022, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
  • Denver is a 2-point underdog vs Utah on Wednesday (Feb. 2) at 10pm ET at the Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah
  • Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert and Joe Ingles are all out for Utah
  • Read below for odds, analysis and a betting prediction

The Utah Jazz can’t stop the bleeding. Literally. Utah has dropped five straight, and 11 of 13 overall, and have been completely decimated by injuries – more on that later.

The undermanned Jazz will host the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday (Feb. 2), a team that is trending in the complete opposite direction. There’s no discernible betting trends to take away, as the money splits are near even for both teams.

Nuggets vs Jazz Odds

Team Moneyline Spread Total
Denver Nuggets +108 +2 (-110) O 226 (-110)
Utah Jazz -126 -2 (-110) U 226 (-110)

Odds as of Feb. 2nd at FanDuel.

Denver opened up as a two-point road ‘dog, in a game that features a total of 226. The Nuggets took a five-game winning streak into Minnesota on Tuesday night, but fell 130-115 to the Timberwolves.

Tip-off for the Denver-Utah game is set for just after 10pm ET on Wednesday at the Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah, a building where the Jazz have dropped four of their last five.

Injuries Decimate Jazz Lineup

Utah is back at home after losing back-to-back road games in Memphis and Minnesota, by a combined 30 points. If that wasn’t bad enough, they got dealt a major blow last time out versus the Timberwolves.

Joe Ingles tore his ACL on Sunday and is done for the season. He joins leading scorer Donovan Mitchell (concussion), and third leading scorer and top shot blocker Rudy Gobert (calf strain) on the sidelines.

Mitchell has missed the last seven games, while Gobert has sat out four straight. Both have already been ruled out for Wednesday’s contest against the Nuggets, as has Danuel House Jr. (health and safety protocols).

Neither Mitchell or Gobert is participating in practice yet, and now that Ingles is lost as well, the Jazz are going to be hard pressed to stay competitive. Utah is 4-7 without Mitchell this season, and they’ve been even worse without Gobert in the lineup.

The Jazz have won just once in the nine games he’s missed, and average six points below their season average when he’s out. Utah enters play ranked second in the league in points per game averaging 113.5 a night, but they haven’t reached that number in eight straight outings.

Gobert’s presence makes an even bigger difference at the defensive end, as the Jazz are allowing nine more points than their season average in the four most recent games he’s sat.

Use the Barstool Sportsbook Super Bowl Promo Code 'DIME56' to Unlock $1,056 in Free Bets
Read More

Nikola Jokic Powering Nuggets on Both Ends

Prior to Tuesday’s loss in Minnesota, Denver destroyed the defending champs 136-100 on Sunday. Reigning MVP Nikola Jokic put up 18 points, 15 assists and nine rebounds versus Milwaukee, setting a season-high in assists, and just missing his 13th triple-double of the season. His MVP odds continue shortening during this good stretch, as well.

Jokic ranks first in the NBA in PER and has absolutely destroyed the Jazz this season. He’s recorded at least a double-double in eight of his past nine contests, with five of those performances being triple-doubles.

The Nuggets matched a season-high with their fifth straight victory, and are averaging 122 points over their past 11 games. Given the massive holes on Utah’s roster, another big offensive performance is likely on Wednesday, especially for Jokic.

The 26-year-old has back-to-back triple-doubles versus the Jazz, and is averaging 25 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists in three games against Utah this season. If he gets his full compliment of minutes on Wednesday, his stat line is going to be outrageous.

It should be noted he was listed questionable ahead of Tuesday’s game versus the Timberwolves with a toe injury, but did wind up starting and playing 30 minutes.

Nuggets vs Jazz Pick

Despite Jokic’s impressive play versus Utah, the Nuggets are 0-3 against their division rival this season. They’ve failed to cover in all three of those meetings as well, but those games were against a healthy Jazz team. Utah is currently a shell of themselves, and its recent results back that up.

The Jazz are 2-9 against the spread in their last 11 outings, and have lost outright by double-digits in back-to-back games. Unless Denver plans to sit the bulk of its starters, another Jazz loss is brewing.

The Nuggets had covered in three straight prior to their defeat in Minnesota, with an average cover margin of 17.6 points per contest.

  • Pick: Denver Nuggets +2 (-110)
Author Image