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The Denver Nuggets open a season of heightened expectations against a Utah Jazz team they have struggled with, at least in betting terms. They meet at 9 p.m. ET at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City to open their seasons.
The Nuggets, winners of 48 games a season ago, look to improve from that mark and contend for a Western Conference title and have the firepower to do so.
Denver Nuggets Preview: Title quest begins
After missing all of last season recovering from a torn ACL, Jamal Murray is set to return to the Nuggets lineup on Wednesday. The point guard had a breakout in the NBA bubble during the COVID-19 pandemic, and his presence should elevate a squad that already touts the back-to-back defending MVP, Nikola Jokic.
There is frontcourt depth in Denver. Alongside Jokic are Aaron Gordon and Michael Porter Jr., while Jeff Green and DeAndre Jordan are expected to provide minutes off the bench. Rookie Christian Braun may be an option on the wings, along with veteran Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
Utah Jazz Preview: First look at rebuild
Utah finished one win better than the Nuggets last season. Instead of retooling around one of their core pieces, the Jazz shipped both Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert out to signal a rebuild.
Remaining are veteran guards Jordan Clarkson and Mike Conley Jr., along with acquiring Collin Sexton, forward Lauri Markkanen, rookie Ochai Ogbaji and wings Jarred Vanderbilt and Malik Beasley. Other newcomers include Talen Horton-Tucker, Johnny Juzang, and Kelly Olynyk.
It was quite the move as the Jazz are now guard-heavy. Once one of the top defensive teams in the league, the Jazz are light on frontcourt depth, which was a strength prior to their rebuild.
Here are the Best Sites to Bet at
Sports betting can be tedious at times. It’s important to find the site with the lines that best suit one’s research.
There are instances where a website offering a hook (such as 3.3 instead of 3.0) is slightly more enticing because a two-possession game could be more likable than a one-possession game.
So it’s good to keep an open portfolio and find those discrepancies that best fit what a bettor is looking for.
Our Betting Prediction
The Nuggets are 7.5-point favorites in the season opener against the Jazz. The over/under is listed at 221 points after opening at 218. Both offerings come at -107 odds. Meanwhile, the moneyline for the Nuggets is -325, while the Jazz are at +250.
Public betting data shows 58% of bets are on the Nuggets to cover against the spread, while 53% of bets are on the over. However, the Nuggets are 1-4 against the spread in their last five meetings with the Jazz, who hold an all-time record of 121-84.
Given Denver’s struggles against Utah, we’ll take the Jazz at +7.5 but the Nuggets at -325. Utah could be a hot mess defensively, so we also like over 221 with Jokic and the frontcourt feasting on a talent deficit.
This article was provided by Betting.com, a betting community website where you can find the latest promo codes, sportsbook bonuses, expert predictions, and betting picks on all major leagues in the United States and beyond. You’ll also be able to compare odds between different betting sites, have access to high-tech betting calculators, and sports stats to help you place winning bets.
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