NBA Western Conference Playoffs Betting Odds: Jazz-Spurs Game 1

Carrie Stroup here bringing you the NBA Western Conference Playoffs betting odds for Game 1 of the Jazz-Spurs.  You can find all the latest NBA Playoffs odds at Sportsbook.com here and receive up to $250 in FREE CASH when opening an account.  Many of these games you will be able to bet on LIVE. 

Sportsbook.com Game 1 Line & Total: San Antonio -10.5 & 207

Series Line: Spurs -2000/Jazz +1400

The Spurs will try to avoid losing for the second straight season as the top-seeded team in the West when they take on the eighth-seeded Jazz in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.

Bettors are certainly justified in thinking lightning can strike twice. After all, it was the physical play from Memphis’ frontcourt tandem of Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol who combined for 35.7 PPG and 21.5 RPG in the six-game series win over San Antonio last year, and Utah’s strength also lies on the interior. The duo of C Al Jefferson (31 double-doubles) and PF Paul Millsap (21 double-doubles) have dominated the paint all season for the Jazz, who enter the series with SU wins in seven of their past nine games, including five in a row. But no team is playing better than the Spurs who ended the season with 10 straight wins and are 21-2 SU (17-3-3 ATS) since losing on St. Patrick’s Day.

Gregg Popovich has done a masterful job of resting his star players and the result is a team that is as healthy and fresh as it has ever been going into the playoffs. In the past two seasons, San Antonio has won six of the seven meetings with Utah. The only loss in this stretch came April 9 when the Spurs rested Tony Parker, Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili and still led by two points with 3:30 to go before Utah ended the game on a 13-4 run. This line is very favorable for the team with the league’s best record, and the hungry Spurs are out to prove they are for real this time.

Utah’s offense has been sizzling during the season-ending five-game win streak, averaging 109.6 PPG on 46% FG (42.4% threes) during the surge. The Jazz rank fourth in the league in scoring at 99.7 PPG, but their three-point shooting has been atrocious this season, as only three NBA teams have shot below their 32.3% clip. Utah knows how to attack the glass though, placing third in the league in rebounding margin (+3.0 RPG)

The big-man duo of C Al Jefferson (19.2 PPG, 9.6 RPG) and PF Paul Millsap (16.6 PPG, 8.8 RPG) continue to lead this club. Jefferson has had his way inside against the Spurs this season with 18.0 PPG and 10.5 RPG and 2.5 BPG in the four meetings. But Millsap has struggled in the season series, averaging just 11.0 PPG (39.5% FG) and 7.8 RPG. PG Devin Harris (13.5 PPG, 5.0 APG) is also playing his best basketball of the season, averaging 21.0 PPG (17-of-38 threes) and 5.4 APG in his past five full games, which doesn’t include his 12 minutes of action in the season finale. He’s also scored 16.5 PPG (8-of-19 threes) with 4.8 APG against San Antonio this season. But he and SG Gordon Hayward (11.8 PPG, 3.1 APG) will need to make some big threes to keep this series close. Harris shoots a mediocre 36.2% from behind the arc for the season, while Hayward makes just 34.6% from downtown.

The Spurs don’t have any glaring weaknesses. On offense, they led the NBA with a 47.8% FG clip, 39.3% three-pointers and finished second in scoring at 103.7 PPG. Defensively, they held opponents to 43.9% FG (28.9% threes) during the season-ending 10-game win streak.

San Antonio’s three stars have all put together excellent seasons despite limited minutes. PF Tim Duncan (15.4 PPG, 9.0 RPG in 28.2 MPG) finished strong with 19.7 PPG (65% FG) and 8.2 RPG in just 26.2 MPG over his final six games. He also averaged a double-double against Utah this year with 15.0 PPG and 10.7 RPG in three games. PG Tony Parker (18.3 PPG, 7.7 APG) also ended the season with a bang, averaging 16.6 PPG on a blistering 57.4% FG in his final five contests with 46 assists and just 13 turnovers (3.54 A-to-TO ratio). Parker has stepped up his game against Utah’s mediocre backcourt, pumping in 21.7 PPG (46.3% FG, 27-of-28 FT) and 7.3 APG. SG Manu Ginobili (12.9 PPG, 52.6% FG, 41.3% threes) scored 14.3 PPG (61% FG) in just 20.3 MPG in his final six games of the season, and lit up the Jazz for 23.0 PPG (13-of-20 FG, 6-of-12 threes) in two meetings against them this year.

In addition to the three stars, the Spurs have gotten great production from their role players. PF DeJuan Blair (9.5 PPG, 5.5 RPG) and C Tiago Splitter (9.3 PPG, 5.2 RPG) have provided muscle inside, while PG Patrick Mills (10.3 PPG), PG Gary Neal (9.9 PPG), SG Danny Green (9.1 PPG) and PF Matt Bonner (6.6 PPG) are each shooting at least 42% from three-point land.

- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter