NBA BASKETBALL BETTING PREVIEW - OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDE @ UTAH JAZZ

NBA Basketball

2012-03-20 - Oklahoma City Thunde at Utah Jazz

A Sports Betting Pick by Addicted

OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER @ UTAH JAZZ
Basketball : North America : NBA
Tuesday, March 20th, 2012, 9:00PM US
(1:00AM GMT)

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TEAM STATS

OKLAHOMA --- Total 34-11 :: Home 19-4 :: Road 15-7 :: Streak W1
UTAH -------- Total 23-22 :: Home 17-6 :: Road 6-16 :: Streak W3

PREVIEW

Oklahoma have faced Utah twice this season, just last month, and won convincingly both times. First, Oklahoma won 101-87 in Utah and covered the 1 point spread with ease, before then covering an 11 point spread at home by winning 111-85. That kind of Valentine's Day seeing to was not appreciated by the Jazz. I cannot understand why Utah are being dogged by just 3 points tonight.

Maybe the short spread is due to Oklahoma alternating wins and losses over their last 6 games? The Thunder have been a dominant team, but lately haven't managed to win back to back games, and with the side coming off a 111-95 tonking of Portland, maybe some are expecting them to drop off again. I doubt this. They were seriously peeved to lost to San Antonio the way they did, so the reaction was perfect in winning the next, against the Trailblazers. What Oklahoma did was play with aggression, attack a lot more than they did, and it paid off. They got a lot more fouls, which they did well with, and they nailed the increased number of 3 point shots they took, hitting 40%.

Now Utah are getting respect because they have won 3 games in a row, and are at home, where they have won 5 straight. It is important to note that they have hardly played many games at home in the last 3 weeks, so that last stat is misleading. In head-to-head against Oklahoma, Utah have found themselves losing 8 of the last 10 meetings, including the 2 played this season last month. Average margin of loss? 20 points.

Utah may have 3 straight wins, but two of them required OT just to beat Minnesota and then Golden State. They then surprise the Lakers to win by 4 as 11 point underdogs, and this is the other reason they are being given just 3 points at home.

BETTING VERDICT

I'm expecting another big performance from Durant and Westbrook tonight, as Oklahoma shake out of their funk and win their 6th straight game over Utah.

The Pick :