Utah at San Antonio
Time: 8 PM ET, Jan 15, 2014
Spread: SAS -13.5
Total: 200
Betting Odds courtesy of Bovada
The San Antonio Spurs are 30-8 on the season and currently hold the best record in the Western Conference. The team is 15-5 at home this season and will play host to the worst team in the West, the 13-26 Utah Jazz. NBA oddsmakers at Bovada are setting the line 13.5-points in favor of the Spurs.
The Spurs have won its past five contests and were victorious over the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday night. Tony Parker finished with 27 points and seven assists in the victory. Parker is having another All-Star caliber season with 17.9 points, 6.3 assists per game and an outstanding PER of 20.16.
Parker’s partner in crime, the ageless Tim Duncan, is posting 14.7 points and 9.7 rebounds per game. Gregg Popovich has been employing his usual methods of resting the starters, with no Spur averaging more than 31 minutes per game, but the team has continued to roll due to its depth and organization. The Spurs are also excellent at making use of role players, even finding a useful purpose for the sluggish yet skilled Boris Diaw.
Utah is merely struggling along to have a chance at a high pick in the 2014 draft. The Jazz have some nice young talent in the form of 2013 draft pick Trey Burke, swingman Gordon Hayward and the athletic forward Derrick Favors—but the team is still years away from being anywhere near contention. Hayward has drawn interest from the Boston Celtics, but the Jazz are unlikely to part with their promising playmaker. Hayward has averaged 17.1 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.9 assists.
Utah Trends: OVER 4-0 in last 4 overall; 0-5-1 ATS in last 6 following ATS win; 4-1-1 ATS in last 6 when opponent scores 100 or more in previous game.
San Ant Trends: UNDER 4-0 in last 4 vs teams with losing SU records; OVER 9-1-1 in last 11 on 1 days rest; OVER 6-1-1 in last 8 vs teams with road winning percentages of less than .400
Head-to-head: UNDER 8-2 in last 10 meetings; OVER 16-5 in last 21 in San Antonio; Jazz 8-22-1 ATS in last 31 meetings in San Antonio.
