On Tuesday, Oskeim Sports previews the NBA game between the Golden State Warriors and Utah Jazz. Keep reading to find out two of Oskeim’s NBA picks for tonight.
After extensively handicapping this game, Oskeim recommends laying the points with Utah as one of his NBA picks for April 9.
Be sure to check out Oskeim’s award-winning NBA Playoffs Package, which includes every MLB selection through June absolutely free!
No. 3 Seed Now a Possibility for Utah
With a win tonight against Golden State, the Jazz will keep their improbable hopes alive for claiming the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference.
Portland had the No. 3 seed all but locked up before the Trail Blazers blew an 11-point third quarter lead against Denver on Monday before ultimately losing their fourth consecutive affair.
Utah clinched an NBA playoff spot with its 112-97 win over the Lakers on Sunday and only trails Portland by one game in the race for the No. 3 seed entering tonight’s game against the Warriors.
More importantly, the two division rivals face one another in the regular-season finale on Wednesday, with the winner very likely to enter the postseason with the coveted No. 3 seed.
Utah’s Improbable Rise from Adversity
The fact that Utah has a chance of stealing the No. 3 seed with two games to play in the 2017-18 regular season is remarkable. The Jazz were under water in January with a 19-28 record before going 28-5 SU in their last 33 games.
“What this group of guys has done – as far as being nine games below .500 and dealing with a lot of adversity and change – I’m really proud of their effort over the course of the season,” Jazz head coach Quin Snyder said on Sunday.
The return Rudy Gobert in mid-January after missing 26 games with various knee injuries has been instrumental for Utah.
Indeed, the Jazz are ranked 13th in the NBA in offensive efficiency (108.5) and lead the NBA in defensive efficiency (97.9) since Gobert’s return.
Utah is outscoring opponents by nearly 20 points per 100 possessions over the last 216 minutes in which Donovan Mitchell, Jae Crowder and Royce O’Neale are on the floor together.
Golden State is Locked Into the No. 2 Seed
Golden State snapped a two-game losing streak with Sunday’s 117-100 win over the hapless Suns but has nothing to play for tonight. The Warriors are the N0. 2 seed in the Western Conference regardless of how the final two games of the regular season unfold.
The Jazz also welcome an injury-riddled Golden State squad that has lost nine of its previous sixteen games. Defense (or a lack thereof) has been the primary issue for the Warriors down the stretch.
For example, Golden State recently allowed 126 points in back-to-back losses to Indiana and New Orleans.
Utah Has Dominated the Warriors in 2017-18
Utah has won the previous two meetings with Golden State in convincing fashion, defeating the Warriors 129-99 on January 30 and 110-91 on March 25. All five Utah starters have averaged double figures in these contests, with Mitchell leading the Jazz with 20.5 points.
Golden State Possesses Little Market Value
From a technical standpoint, the Warriors are a money-burning 9-23-1 ATS in their last 33 games versus teams with a winning record and 7-18-1 ATS in their last 26 games following a win, including 5-15-1 ATS when entering off a double-digit victory.
Finally, Golden State us just 6-14 ATS in its last 20 games overall, 2-11 ATS with one day of rest and 1-8 ATS in its last nine road affairs against an opponent with a .601 or greater home win percentage.
Lay the points with the Utah Jazz as one of Oskeim Sports’ NBA Picks for Tuesday, April 9.
Oskeim’s Free NBA Picks for Tuesday:
- Utah Jazz (-7.5) over Golden State Warriors
- Atlanta Hawks (+9.5) over Philadelphia 76ers
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