Utah Jazz vs Brooklyn Nets Prediction & Betting Tips - NBA

Prediction published on 18/12/2023, 06:30  by Devesh Jaganath in NBA Predictions

The Utah Jazz will face off against the Brooklyn Nets in the NBA at Delta Center on Monday night. The hosts are 9-17 and 12th in the Western Conference, while the visitors are 13-12 and ninth in the Eastern Conference. 

Concluding a five-game road trip, the Nets find themselves in a reasonably good position, having secured victories in seven of their last 11 games overall. However, they are aiming to break a two-game losing streak, having narrowly lost 124-120 to the Warriors on the road on Saturday. Cam Thomas played a pivotal role, leading the team with 41 points on an impressive 15-of-24 shooting performance. The Nets' scoring output of 116.4 points per game is only 3.6 points less than the Jazz's defensive allowance of 120 points. Brooklyn faces challenges on the defensive end, though, ranking 19th in defensive rating and holding the NBA's lowest turnover percentage. During their road swing, they've conceded an average of 122.8 points per game. The Nets will be without Ben Simmons, Dennis Smith Jr., Lonnie Walker, and Dorian Finney-Smith due to injuries.

Meanwhile, the Jazz have faced a challenging season. They fell behind by 12 points in the first quarter and were never able to get back in it in the 125-104 defeat at the hands of the Sacramento Kings on Saturday. Colin Sexton put up 28 points, while Lauri Markkanen contributed 18 points to the effort. The absence of Jordan Clarkson for the third consecutive game due to a right hamstring strain and John Collins missing his fourth straight game due to illness added to the team's challenges. Utah's major struggle lies in their high turnover rate, with the worst record of any team in the NBA. Offensively, the Jazz are ranked 22nd in the NBA with an average of 111.7 points per game, while Brooklyn holds the 18th rank in defense, allowing 114.7 points per game. The Jazz find themselves being outscored by 8.3 points per game, with a notable -215 scoring differential overall. Luka Samanic, Keyonte George, and Omer Yurtseven will join Clarkson and Sexton on the sidelines due to various injuries.