Pelicans vs Jazz Pick, Preview & Betting Odds For Tuesday, December 13th

Check out our free Pelicans vs Jazz pick and preview for this NBA game in Salt Lake City. See who we like to win and cover the spread in this NBA matchup.

Pelicans vs Jazz NBA Pick & Preview

Sport: NBA
Teams: New Orleans Pelicans at Utah Jazz
Where: Salt Lake City at Vivint Smart Home Arena
Date: Tuesday, December 13th
Betting Odds UTA +2.5, NO -136 | UTA +113 O/U 234.5

So far, the Pelicans have put together an overall record of 18-8, while going 15-11-0 vs the spread. New Orleans will be going for their 8 straight win in today’s game as they have rattled off 7 straight wins.

The Pelicans will look to keep things rolling, as they previously beat the Suns by a score of 129-124. Heading into the game, they were 4 point favorites against the spread, giving them an ATS win. Although New Orleans trailed the Suns going into halftime, by the end of the 3rd quarter they had taken the lead. Leading the team in scoring was Zion Williamson, as he contributed 35 points while hitting 66.7% of his shots.

So far, the Jazz have put together an overall record of 15-14, while going 15-12-2 vs the spread. The Jazz head into today’s action in the midst of a 2 game losing streak. Their average scoring differential in these defeats is -7.5.

The Jazz will be looking to bounce back from a 115-110 loss to the Nuggets. In terms of betting, Utah entered as 11 point underdogs, giving them an ATS win. Utah was not able to turn things around in the 2nd half, as they trailed the Nuggets by 5 going into halftime. In the loss, Nickeil Alexander-Walker led the team in scoring with 27 points on a field goal percentage of 56.2%.

Head To Head Recap & Stats

I Similar to their season-long average, the Pelicans averaged 107.75 points per game vs the Jazz. While the Pelicans were able to maintain their usual level of production against Utah, the Jazz averaged fewer points per game in the series, at 107.25. Spanning across the last 5 head-to-head matchups, the Pelicans and Jazz have been competitive, with an average margin of victory sitting at just 0 points per game. This has resulted in a 3-2 ATS record for Utah. A combined average of 220 points per game was achieved in these matchups, leading to an over-under mark of 2-3.

Odds & Free Betting Analysis For This NBA Game

The Pelicans come into today’s game as one of the better scoring teams in the NBA at 117.6 points per game (3rd). In terms of pace, the Pelicans are on the top units in the NBA, averaging 100.7 possessions per game. A key aspect of the team’s offensive success is their ability to pair an up-tempo style of play with efficient outside shooting. So far, they are the 10th ranked team in 3-point shooting percentage.

Currently, the Pelicans defense is ranked 13th in points allowed. So far, opposing teams are averaging 110.28 points per game vs the unit.

Power-Foward Zion Williamson currently leads the Pelicans at 25.0 points per game. For the season, he is 32nd in the NBA in usage rate and has taken 17.7% of the team’s field goal attempts. In addition to his scoring, Williamson is averaging 7.2 boards and 4.2 assists per contest. In today’s game, he is facing off against the NBA’s 19th ranked defense at defending power-fowards. CJ McCollum enters the game sitting second on the team in scoring. Through 22 games, he is averaging 17.5 and is 191st in the league in player efficiency rating.

Utah will look to continue with their strong offensive play, as they are averaging 117.3 points per game (5th). The Jazz come into the game as one of the league’s better 3-point shooting teams, connecting at a rate of 14.6 made 3’s per game. If the Utah offense is going to continue to produce at a high level, they will need to do a better job taking care of the ball as they are turning the ball over at an above-average rate.

Defensively, the Jazz are one of the top performing units in the league, giving up 107.57 points per contest (10th).

Power-Foward Lauri Markkanen currently leads the Jazz at 22.2 points per game. For the season, he is 98th in the NBA in usage rate and has taken 16.9% of the team’s field goal attempts. In addition to his scoring, Markkanen is averaging 8.5 boards and 2.2 assists per contest. In today’s game, he is facing off against the NBA’s 4th ranked defense at defending power-fowards. Jordan Clarkson enters the game sitting second on the team in scoring. Through 28 games, he is averaging 19.8 and is 156th in the league in player efficiency rating.