jazz vs pelicans nba betting prediction
PublishedDecember 28, 2023,            Posted By: Maria Uebelhor
Last updated:December 28, 2023 , ,

NBA Utah Jazz vs New Orleans Pelicans Prediction 12/28/2023

The Utah Jazz (13-18) travel to face off against the New Orleans Pelicans (17-14) on Thursday, December 28th. This game will be played at Smoothie King Center. The Jazz are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Pelicans are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Spurs. Tip-off is set for 8:00 ET.

Jazz vs Pelicansutah jazz nba

The Jazz Are Coming Off A Win

The Jazz notched a win against the Spurs in their most recent game, concluding with a score of 130-118. Not only did the Jazz win this game straight-up, but they also covered the spread as -3.5 point favorites. The over/under line for this matchup was set at 241.5 points, and the teams managed to exceed that total.

With a 13-18 overall record, the Jazz are 9-14 against Western Conference teams and 4-4 in non-conference games. As +8.5 point underdogs, the Jazz will need to bring their A-game if they want to come out with a win.

Against the spread, Utah are currently above .500, at 17-14 ATS. This season, Utah has a 4-1 record against the spread when they are favored, and they are 13-13 when playing as underdogs.

The Pelicans Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

Brandon Ingram led New Orleans with 24 points against the Grizzlies, the highest on the team. He finished with a field goal percentage of 43.3% in the game. Zion Williamson contributed 23 points, but New Orleans lost the game 116-115.

On the road this season, the Pelicans are 8-7 compared to 9-7 at home. Overall, they are 17-14 and have gone 1-2 in their last three games.

For this season, New Orleans has an ATS record of 17-14, along with an ongoing two game losing streak against the spread. New Orleans has gone 8-9 against the spread this season when they are the favorites, and they are 9-5 when playing as underdogs.

Jazz Offense Breakdown

Utah has recorded an average of 113.5 points per game (18th) throughout 31 games games. So far, the Jazz are averaging 99.3 possessions per game, which places them below the NBA average. Right now, the Jazz offense is in search of answers, as not only do they tend to play at a slow pace, but they are just 23rd in effective field goal percentage.

Pelicans Offense Breakdown

The Pelicans come into today’s game as the 13th ranked scoring offense at 115.7 points per game. So far, New Orleans is averaging 99.4 possessions per game, making them one of the more up-tempo teams in the league. If the Pelicans are going to turn things around on offense, they must improve their overall shooting efficiency. In particular, the 3-point shot has been problematic for the unit, as they are just 16th in 3-point shooting percentage.

Jazz Team Defense

Coming into the game, the Jazz will be looking to improve their defense, as they are currently giving up 119.3 points per game (24th). When it comes to defending inside the arc, the Jazz squad is permitting opposing teams to shoot at a clip of 55.5% inside the arc, and they’re also giving up 38.0% from downtown.

Pelicans Team Defense

The Pelicans’ defense is presently ranked 13th in the league, allowing an average of 113.4 points per contest. New Orleans’ defense is currently forcing 13 turnovers per game, which is 14th in the league. Additionally, they enter the game ranked 22nd in blocked shots, with an average of 4.5 rejections per game.

Key Players For The Jazz And Pelicans

The outlook for today’s matchup points to Lauri Markkanen as the primary point contributor for the Jazz, finishing with 13 points while maintaining a 5/9 shooting accuracy. This season, he is averaging 24 points per game along with 8.8 boards.

On the opposing side, we anticipate Zion Williamson to be the top scorer for the Pelicans. Our projection has him finishing the game with 16, and he is expected to secure 5 rebounds. This season, he is shooting at a field goal percentage of 57.5%, and his scoring average is 22.3 points per game.

Jazz vs Pelicans Trendsnew orleans pelicans

  • In their last ten games away from home, the Jazz have a straight up record of 4-6 while going 5-5 vs. the spread. The team averaged 111 points per game in this stretch.
  • Through their last ten home games, New Orleans has an ATS record of just 5-5. However, their overall record was 6-4 while averaging 118 points per game.
  • The last ten games that Utah was the underdog, they have an ATS mark of 5-5 while going 5-5 straight up.
  • In their last ten games as the betting favorite, the Pelicans have a straight up record of 6-4 and an ATS mark of 5-5.

Jazz vs Pelicans Prediction

We’re calling a win for the Pelicans, with a final score of 116-103, and we’re taking them to cover the spread. Our recommendation is to bet on the Pelicans at -8.5.

Right now, the over/under line for the game is sitting at 238.5 and given that our model is projecting 219 points between the teams, we like the under.

All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.