The Utah Jazz had to play almost a perfect game at home to win Game-One of the NBA Western Conference semifinal series against the red-hot Golden State Warriors to go up 1-0 in the best of seven game series. Tonight (9 p.m. ET tip-off) the Jazz will probably need another good effort if they expect to go up 2-0 before traveling to Oracle Arena in Oakland for a two-game set on Friday and Sunday.
Oddsmakers at BetUS.com expect a tight game having installed the Jazz the favorite with a -4.0 -point chalk on the side bet and a money line price of -170. A money line bet on Golden State is getting +150 juice. The total is holding at 213.
The Jazz have been very good on their home court in Energy Solutions Arena going 5-1 straight up (SU) and 5-0-1 against the spread (ATS) in their last six games. The total has gone OVER in 11 of Utah’s last 16 games including Monday’s high scoring affair, surpassing the 208 total by 10 points.
If Utah is hot then Golden State is sizzling in spite of its 112-116 loss to Utah in Game-One. The Warriors have gone 13-4 SU in it’s their last 17 games. They have cashed for backers by going 10-1-1 ATS in their last 12 games and 9-2-1 ATS in their last 12 games on the road. The total has gone OVER in 15 of Golden State’s last 20 games.
After beating top-seeded Dallas in the opening round, Golden State isn’t too concerned with a one-game deficit to the Jazz. A win Wednesday night would negate Utah’s home-court advantage in the best-of-seven series.
In game one I picked the Jazz to prevail as the -4.0 favorite but ended up with a push. The game soared OVER on the total catching me by surprise. I don’t expect lightning to strike twice with that many points on the total so I am staying with the UNDER 213 in tonight’s game. I will not be surprised if Golden State steals one tonight and takes the series back to Oakland knotted up at one game a piece.
