The Utah Jazz (20-46) and Portland Trail Blazers (31-35) will face off in the NBA tonight. Tipoff is set for 10:00 p.m. ET from the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon. The game will broadcast live on KUNP.
The Blazers are 14.5-point favorites over the Jazz on the spread (Trail Blazers -14.5), with the over/under set at 236.5 total points. Portland is a -900 favorite to win outright on the moneyline, while Utah is +600 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Jazz vs. Trail Blazers predictions and NBA picks for Friday, March 13.
Jazz vs Trail Blazers Prediction, Pick
- Jazz vs Trail Blazers pick: Deni Avdija Over 6.5 Assists (+100)
My Trail Blazers vs Jazz best bet is on Deni Avdija to record over 6.5 assists. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live NBA odds page.
Jazz vs Trail Blazers Odds
| Jazz Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+14.5 -110 | 236.5 -110o / -110u | +600 |
| Trail Blazers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-14.5 -110 | 236.5 -110o / -110u | -900 |
Jazz vs Trail Blazers NBA Preview
Deni Avdija returned to the Trail Blazers' lineup from injury a few games ago, and his minutes are already starting to tick upward.
Avdija got a solid amount of run in his first two games back, and now that he’s had a couple of days off, he should be feeling pretty good physically.
This should also be a fast-paced matchup against the Jazz, a team that allows a ton of assists.
However, I’m not completely convinced that Avdija is back to 100% healthy at this point.
When you look at his recent game logs, Deni still isn't getting to the free-throw line much, which makes me question how comfortable he is driving into contact and sustaining hits at the rim.
Because of that, I think we could see him driving and kicking a little more than usual.
Utah plays very poor defense overall. The Jazz allow a high number of assists and give up plenty of opportunities to catch-and-shoot players.
Even though the Jazz have been relatively solid against pick-and-roll ball-handlers, I still think that could benefit Avdija from a playmaking perspective.
Jazz vs Trail Blazers Predictions, Betting Analysis
For all the aforementioned reasons, I like Avdija over 6.5 assists in tonight's matchup between the Jazz and Blazers.
Avdija already posted totals of eight and seven assists in the two games he’s played since returning to Portland's lineup, while seeing 30+ minutes in both contests, which puts him squarely in range to clear this number again.
Pick: Deni Avdija Over 6.5 Assists (+100)
