Utah Jazz vs Denver Nuggets Prediction, 8/19/2020 NBA Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: Utah Jazz vs Denver Nuggets

Date: Wednesday, August 19, 2020

Location: AdventHealth Arena in Orlando, Florida

TV: TNT

Odds/Point Spread: Denver -4

Total/Over-Under: 218.5

AdventHealth Arena is the site where Jamal Murray and the Denver Nuggets will take on the Utah Jazz on Wednesday. Utah opens this matchup as 4-point dogs. The total is set at 218.5.

Denver leads the series 1-0 after winning Game 1 in overtime by a score of 135-125. Jamal Murray paced the Nuggets with 36 points, 5 rebounds, and 9 dimes. Donovan Mitchell had a monster game in the loss, finishing with 57 points, 9 boards, and 7 assists. 

The Jazz cover the spread 47.9% of the time, having gone 34-37-2 ATS. Denver covers the spread 48.6% of the time, going 34-36-4 against the spread.

Key Utah Jazz Injuries

08/16/20 PG Mike Conley Personal is out indefinitely
08/16/20 C Ed Davis Knee is out for series vs. Denver
06/28/20 SF Bojan Bogdanovic Wrist is out for season

Key Denver Nuggets Injuries

08/17/20 SG Will Barton Knee is questionable Wednesday vs Utah
08/17/20 SG Gary Harris Hip is questionable Wednesday vs Utah
08/12/20 SF Vlatko Cancar Foot is out indefinitely

Player Spotlight

Donovan Mitchell comes into this game averaging 24.0 points per contest while playing 34.3 minutes per night this year. He grabs 4.4 rebounds per contest and distributes 4.3 assists per game. His FG percentage is 45% while his free throw percentage is 86%. Rudy Gobert averages 15.1 points per contest in 34.3 minutes per game. He averages 1.5 assists per game and 13.5 rebounds per contest. His field goal percentage is 69% for the season while his free throw percentage is 63%.

Player Spotlight

Jamal Murray scores 18.5 points per contest while playing 32.3 minutes per game. He hauls in 4.0 rebounds per contest and has 4.8 assists per game on the season. His FG percentage is 46% and his free throw percentage is at 88%. Paul Millsap averages 11.6 points per game this year and he sees the court an average of 24.3 minutes per game. He also brings in 5.7 rebounds per game and has 1.6 assists per contest. His field goal percentage is 48% and his free throw percentage is 82%.

Useful Team Statistics

Utah averages 111.3 points per contest, which is 18th in the league. Their average scoring margin is 2.5 and their shooting percentage is 47% as a unit, which has them ranked 6th. From 3-point territory they shoot 38%, which is good for 1st in the NBA. They average 44.9 boards per contest and 22.4 assists per game, which ranks them 13th and 26th in those offensive categories. In the turnover department they are 10th with 15.1 per game. The Jazz allow 108.8 points per contest, which is 9th in the NBA. They also surrender a 46% shooting percentage and a 35% average from 3-point range, ranking them 12th and 14th in defensive field goal percentage. Opponents average 42.7 rebounds a game which ranks 5th, and they allow 21.5 assists per game which puts them in 1st place in the league. They force 12.3 turnovers per game which ranks them 2nd in the NBA.

Useful Team Statistics

Denver is 19th in the NBA with 111.3 points per contest this season. They are 4th in the league in shooting at 47%, while their average scoring margin is 2.11. They shoot 36% from beyond the arc, which is good for 15th in the league. They are 20th in the NBA in rebounding with 44.1 boards per contest and 4th in assists per game with 26.7. The Nuggets are 24th in turnovers per contest with 13.8. The Nuggets give up 109.2 points per game, which ranks them 11th in the league. Their defense surrenders a 46% shooting percentage and a 36% average from behind the 3-point line, ranking them 17th and 17th in those defensive statistics. They rank 24th with 25.4 dimes allowed per game and 4th with 42.6 boards surrendered per contest. The Nuggets are 14th in the league in forcing turnovers with 14.3 per contest this year.

Advanced Statistics

The Jazz are 10th in the NBA in offensive rating with 112.3, and their defensive rating of 109.9 is ranked 13th. In terms of pace they are 26th in the league with 98.6 possessions per 48 minutes, and their effective field goal percentage of 55% is 2nd. As a team they are 2nd in the NBA in true shooting percentage with 59% and they shoot 3-pointers on 41% of their shots, ranking 8th in the league. Utah is 6th in turnovers, as they turn the ball over an average of 13.7 times per 100 possessions while forcing 11.1 on the defensive end. Their defensive effective field goal percentage for the season currently is 52%, which is 23rd in the league.

Advanced Statistics

Denver is 23rd in the NBA in turnovers, as they turn the ball over an average of 12.3 times per 100 possessions while forcing 12.9 on the defensive end. Their defensive effective field goal percentage for the season currently is 53%, which is 14th in the league. The Nuggets are 5th in the NBA in offensive rating with 113.1, and their defensive rating of 111 is ranked 16th. In terms of pace they are 29th in the league with 97.1 possessions per 48 minutes, and their effective field goal percentage of 54% is 9th. As a team they are 15th in the NBA in true shooting percentage with 57% and they shoot 3-pointers on 34% of their shots, ranking 27th in the league.

Who will win tonight's Jazz/Nuggets NBA game against the spread?

Guy's Pick: Take Denver -4

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