Published Jan 4, 7:14pm ET by
James Tillman - Betting Preview Analyst and Sports Writer
Last updated Jan 4, 7:14pm ET
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Updated Jan 4, 7:14pm ET
One of the games on Monday's NBA slate features the Portland Trail Blazers hosting the Utah Jazz. Who has the edge in our Blazers vs Jazz pick?
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| Portland Trail Blazers | -6 (-105) |
| Utah Jazz | +6 (-115) |
After a 124-95 shellacking by the Oklahoma City Thunder, Portland has won its last two games. This includes a 115-110 victory against the San Antonio Spurs.
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The Trail Blazers were up by seven points through three quarters, and extended their advantage to 93-80 with 10:36 remaining. San Antonio rallied to get within 111-110 at the 1:36 mark before Portland scored the final four points of the game.
Deni Avdija posted a triple-double that consisted of 29 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. Donovan Clingan contributed 24 points, 12 rebounds, and four assists on an efficient 9-for-12 effort from the floor.
Following back-to-back wins against Detroit and San Antonio, the Jazz have dropped each of their last three games. Their latest setback was a 123-114 loss to the Golden State Warriors.
Utah was competitive early and held a seven-point advantage at the break. However, Golden State outscored its opponent 65-49 in the second half, including a 42-31 advantage in the third quarter.
Lauri Markkanen was the standout performer for Utah. He paced the offense with a team-high 35 points on 15-for-27 from the field. Markkanen also collected six rebounds.
The Jazz shot 52 percent overall and 37 percent from beyond the arc.
Here's a look at what you need to know for both teams ahead of this contest.
Portland holds a slight 3-2 edge in the previous five meetings, and the Jazz are just 4-16 in their last 20 road games. Given the trends, the edge goes to the Blazers in this Western Conference matchup.
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Pick
Portland Trail Blazers
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