Denver Nuggets vs Utah Jazz Betting Preview: Jazz Have All the Advantages as Northwest Rivals Meet for First Time This Season

After posting the best record in the NBA last season, the Jazz are off to a 2-0 start this season. Tonight they welcome their strongest challenger in the Northwest Division to Salt Lake City.

The Nuggets played last night at home. It is a short trip to Utah, but they arrive with a bad taste in their mouth after a surprising loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Tonight’s game features the best offensive and defensive centers in the game. That is the matchup that likely determines the outcome of the game.

NBA Betting Matchup: Denver Nuggets (2-1) vs Utah Jazz (2-0), TNT, 10:00 p.m. ET

Denver Nuggets vs Utah Jazz NBA Betting Odds

Moneyline

• Denver Nuggets +240
• Utah Jazz -295

Total

• OVER 218.5 (-110)
• UNDER 218.5 (-110)

Spread

• Denver Nuggets +7 (-110)
• Utah Jazz -7 (-110)

Denver Nuggets vs Utah Jazz NBA betting odds are via BetOnline Sportsbook as of Tuesday, October 26, 2021.

Denver Nuggets vs Utah Jazz Best Bet

Utah Jazz -7

The Nuggets put up a pretty lame effort last night, losing at home to Cleveland. We are only a few games in, but it is noticeable that Nikola Jokic is not making as much of an impact as a passer this season. He is leading the team in assists, but four per game is half of what he averaged a season ago as the NBA MVP. Averaging 27 points per game and 16 rebounds per game means that there is no need to really worry about his production, but the flow of Denver’s offense has been off. Since they do not get much from their backcourt, they need Jokic to score and be a playmaker to be at their best.

Utah is 2-0 SU and ATS and could not have asked for a better way to ease into the season. They dominated in their opener against OKC and had an easy time on the road at Sacramento. It is just a couple of games, but everything is looking as expected. One thing that stands out is that they are getting good production from backup center Hassan Whiteside. Normally that would not be something to highlight, but it means they have another active big body they can use on Jokic. I am not certain that the Jazz are truly one of the elite teams in the NBA, but they look like a bad matchup for the Nuggets.

I like this Denver team’s front line a lot, but they are not off to a good start, other than Jokic. They have been feeling the loss of guard Jamal Murray a lot to start the season too. I am not giving up on the Nuggets, but this is a bad spot to back them. They are playing a back to back for the first time and in an environment that is tough to play in, against a really good team that knows exactly what it wants to do. Utah won and covered in two of their three games against Denver last season, including the only game at home.

Prop Watch: Royce O’Neale Over 7.5 Points

O’Neale has not shot well to start the season and has just eight points in two games, but just look at that positive value though and the fact that he is averaging 30 minutes per game. The points should come. He gets good looks, and his stats this season are from a small sample size. His numbers have always been better at home too.

Denver Nuggets vs Utah Jazz Score Prediction

Utah Jazz 116, Denver Nuggets 104