Houston Rockets at Utah Jazz Game 3 Pick

NBA Playoff Betting Preview
Houston Rockets at Utah Jazz (Jazz lead 2-0)
Thursday, 10:35 pm Eastern – TNT

SBG Global Opening Line: Jazz  - 5.5, Total 181

 

A series that looked to be competitive could end very quickly if the Utah Jazz does as expected and win at home.  The Jazz won both road games at Houston and now come home where they had the NBA’s best home record.

“We go into the game knowing that both teams have seen a great deal of each other,” Utah forward Carlos Boozer said. “Game 3 should be a dandy.” SBG Global reports that early NBA betting has the public taking Jazz at Home.

The Jazz are now expected to sweep away the Rockets in four straight.  The Jazz were 37-4 at home this season.  Utah will try and avoid having a letdown on Thursday.  “It’s two different scenarios – night and day,” Boozer said. “We’re already intense. It’s the playoffs.” It is obviously a must game for the Rockets. “We know we can play up there, we know we can win up there,” McGrady said. “The playoffs are a totally different game. We can’t rely on what we did in what, November or October. It’s a totally different team, playing with a different confidence.”  Teams just don’t recover from being down 0-3 so Thursday night will be a very intense game.  “I think these guys are all intelligent enough to know that we have to come and play. There’s not going to be anybody that’s going to give us anything,” Utah head coach Jerry Sloan said. “They were ready to play the other night. They came at us.”  The Jazz will again try and stop Tracy McGrady who has averaged 21.5 points per game but has done nothing in the fourth quarters.  McGrady has been a playoff bust, losing in the first round his last six tries.  He has not gotten much help either. “We have to find ways to help him out in the fourth quarter, get him better opportunities. They turned their defense up on him in the fourth quarter and extended it out and tried to make other people make plays,” Houston coach Rick Adelman said. “Right now, we’re at a disadvantage.”

 

SBG Global Current Line: Jazz  - 8.5, Total 182

 

Houston could be getting back guard Rafer Alston back for Thursday. They could use all the help they can get.  Utah doesn’t want the Rockets to get any momentum. “We wanted to take as much away from Mac as possible because he’s such a great scorer and everything goes through him,” Utah guard Deron Williams said. “To get that one (win) is crucial – and that’s what we’ve got to try to avoid with them – allowing them to get that first win.”  Williams is leading the Jazz in scoring in the playoffs at 21 points per game.  He also has averaged 7.5 assists per game.

 

Here are the NBA betting stats for Thursday’s game.  The Rockets are 23-8-3 ATS in their last 34 Thursday games. The Rockets are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games as an underdog. The Rockets are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games overall. The Rockets are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 road games vs. a team with a winning home record. The Rockets are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 playoff games as an underdog. The Rockets are 0-7 ATS in their last 7 Conference Quarterfinals games. The Rockets are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 vs. the Northwest. The underdog is 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings between the two teams. The road team is 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings but the Rockets are 1-6 ATS in the last 7 meetings in Utah.

 

The Jazz are 7-0 ATS in their last 7 Conference Quarterfinals games. The

Jazz are 6-0-1 ATS in their last 7 playoff games as a favorite. The Jazz are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 games overall. The Jazz are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 vs. the Southwest. The Jazz are 24-8 ATS in their last 32 vs. the Western Conference. The Jazz are 37-14-1 ATS in their last 52 games as a home favorite. The Jazz are 4-10 ATS in their last 14 Thursday games.

 

The Under is 4-0 in the Rockets last 4 playoff games as an underdog. The Under is 6-1 in the Rockets last 7 overall. The Under is 11-2 in the Rockets last 13 vs. the Northwest. The Over is 4-1 in the Rockets last 5 games as a road underdog. The Over is 4-1 in the Rockets last 5 Thursday games. The Under is 8-3 in the Rockets last 11 Conference Quarterfinals games. The Under is 15-7 in the Rockets last 22 vs. a team with a winning record.

 

The Under is 11-3-1 in Utah’s last 15 vs. the Southwest. The Under is 6-2 in Utah’s last 8 Thursday games. The Over is 6-2 in Utah’s last 8 games as a favorite. The Under is 6-2 in Utah’s last 8 overall. The Over is 5-2 in Utah’s last 7 games as a home favorite. The Under is 15-6 in Utah’s last 21 Conference Quarterfinals games. The Under is 10-4 in the last 14 meetings in Utah between the two teams.

 

Take the Jazz at home for all the Marbles 5 out of 5 units