A new season is upon the Denver Nuggets and Utah Jazz, who open their NBA schedules against one another.
The teams meet at 9 p.m. ET on Wednesday to begin their season, seasons that are forecasted to be very different.
Without Jamal Murray last year, the Nuggets finished 48-34, good for sixth in the Western Conference. The Nuggets finished one game behind the Utah Jazz (49-33), who have undergone drastic changes and are staring at a full-on rebuild.
We’ll break down all the important Nuggets vs. Jazz betting info to give you the best betting pick for your ticket today.
Denver Nuggets vs. Utah Jazz
Matchup Info
One of the better NBA matchups of the past decade or so, the divisional rivals have had their fair share of great games.
In the 205 regular season meetings, the Jazz have 121 wins to the Nuggets’ 84. They have met in 30 playoff games, and the series is even at 15 wins.
Denver Nuggets
Murray is back for the Nuggets and is scheduled to debut on Wednesday. He had a breakout postseason in the NBA bubble when COVID-19 precautions moved the rest of the schedule to Orlando.
However, he suffered a torn ACL before the 2021-22 season, causing him to miss the entire year.
Pairing him with center Nikola Jokic, who has won the last two league Most Valuable Player awards, is a duo many think will contend for championships.
NBA Player Stats
Murray should also take some pressure off Jokic, whose NBA player stats were 27.1 points, 13.8 rebounds, and 7.9 assists per game.
The addition of Aaron Gordon was welcome, and with a healthy Michael Porter Jr., the wings seem like they’ll be fine with veteran Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and rookie Christian Braun.
Veterans Jeff Green and DeAndre Jordan provided a nice punch off the bench.
Key Injuries
Murray sat out all last season recovering from a torn ACL and is expected to return to the Nuggets lineup on Wednesday. He’s listed as probable with a hamstring injury.
Betting Trends to Know
The Nuggets are 5-1 over their last six games. However, they are 1-5 in the previous six games against the spread following a win against the spread.
Utah Jazz
The Jazz had the firesale of all firesales. According to NBA team stats, the Jazz were one of the better defensive teams in 2021-22 but figured they didn’t have the right mix of guys to win a championship.
Instead of trading one star and trying to re-tool, everybody was shipped out. Donovan Mitchell was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers, and Rudy Gobert was sent to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Veteran Point Guards
Veteran point guards Mike Conley Jr., and Jordan Clarkson remain to provide a veteran presence. The Jazz also got Collin Sexton and rookie Ochai Agbaji in the deal with Cleveland.
Johnny Juzang and Talen Horton-Tucker also provide wing depth, but those are a lot of ball-dominant players from college to rely on.
So, too, do Rudy Gay and Jarred Vanderbilt. Forward Lauri Markkanen and Kelly Olynyk headline a thin frontcourt.
Key Injuries
The Jazz may have some depth issues if Udoke Azubuike, who is questionable with an ankle injury, can’t go. Malik Beasley is listed as probable with an ankle injury.
Betting Trends to Know
Utah is 0-4 against the spread in its last four home games. A further look at Nuggets vs. Jazz betting picks shows the Jazz have had success in the series, though, sporting a 4-1 record against the spread over the last five meetings with the Nuggets.
The over is also 4-1 in the previous five meetings when the teams play in Utah, which has been a place of difficulty for the Nuggets. They are 5-13 against the spread in the last 18 games in Utah.
Nuggets vs. Jazz Odds Breakdown
The Denver Nuggets are 7.5-point favorites for their season opener against the Jazz. The over/under is listed at 221 points, up from the opening of 218 points. The odds on both are -107. The Nuggets are -325 on the moneyline to the Jazz +250.
Nuggets vs. Jazz betting picks show that 58% of public bets are on Denver against the spread, while 53% of public bets are on the over.
Denver Nuggets vs. Utah Jazz Betting Picks
Moneyline
It’s not great value, but a win’s a win, right? We’re taking Nuggets -325 with what should be a must-win game for the Nuggets.
Although a win on the road is a difficult task, the talent gap, particularly in the frontcourt, should be enough for Denver to start 1-0.
NBA Pick: Nuggets (-325)
Over/Under
Both teams have been solid defensively over the years, particularly Utah. But that is with Gobert anchoring the middle and a little more depth than what they have now.
This is a tricky over/under, and with it moving to 221, Vegas is daring to take the under, so we’ll go over 225.
NBA Pick: Over 225 (-110)
Spread
The Nuggets laying 7.5 points is quite a bit on the road, even for a more veteran team. Jokic should feast alongside Gordon and Porter Jr, but given the Nuggets’ troubles in Utah, we’ll take the young home team to cover.
NBA Pick: Utah +7 (-110)
Denver Nuggets vs. Utah Jazz Score Prediction
The Nuggets vs. Jazz betting picks are tricky because Utah will regress, but they’re young and athletic enough to make it a game on any night.
Coupled with the success rate of covering in the series at home, it makes the Jazz a worthwhile play against the spread and could even be a sneaky high upside moneyline play.
Score Prediction: Nuggets 121, Jazz 114
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