A quick glance at the Friday NBA odds board reveals a handful of startling point spreads: A team that suffered a 32-point loss to the lowly Washington Wizards exactly a week ago is an 18-point favorite. The No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference is a home underdog against the ninth-place team in the East. And the league’s runaway best team — one that’s won nearly 80 percent of its games — is catching points against an opponent that’s 15 games behind them in the Western Conference standings.
And so it goes in the final days of the NBA season, when games are meaningful for some teams while others are simply playing out the string, either coasting to the playoffs or counting the seconds until their flight to Cancun.
Although the league’s postseason picture is now mostly in focus, there are still a couple games of consequence on the Friday NBA odds menu. Props.com breaks down the one involving that best team in the league (Phoenix Suns) catching points against a foe (Utah Jazz) it has defeated six times in the last seven meetings.
Odds via WynnBet and updated as of 7:45 p.m. ET on April 8.
Phoenix Suns vs Utah Jazz
Tipoff/TV: 9:40 p.m. ET/NBA TV
Suns: 63-17 SU/43-37 ATS
Jazz: 48-32 SU/32-44-4 ATS
Spread/Total: Jazz -2.5/228.5
Season series: Phoenix and Utah have played three competitive games this year, all decided by single digits. The Suns took the first two, winning 115-109 as a 12-point home favorite Jan. 24 and 105-97 as a one-point road underdog two days later. Then on Feb. 27, the Jazz prevailed 118-114 as a three-point road favorite, snapping a six-game series losing skid to Phoenix.
Did you know: The road team has won and covered six of the last nine Jazz-Suns contests. Also, the underdog is 6-2 ATS (but only 3-5 SU) in the last eight.
About Phoenix: The Suns wrapped up the NBA’s best record and home-court advantage throughout the playoffs two weeks ago — and they’re finally starting to play like a team with nothing to gain. After closing out March on a nine-game winning streak (6-3 ATS), Phoenix has dropped three of its last four, with all three defeats coming on the road. With starters Devin Booker, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton in street clothes on the bench, the Suns fell to the Clippers 113-109 on Wednesday. However, they cashed as a seven-point road underdog, ending a season-worst 0-4 ATS slump. After Sunday’s regular-season finale at home against Sacramento, Phoenix will have a week off before opening the playoffs against the lowest-seeded team that emerges from the Western Conference’s play-in games. That opponent will either be the Clippers, Pelicans or Spurs.
Editor’s Note: Looking to become a sharper NBA bettor? Check out our NBA betting guide for a few wagering tips.
About Utah: The Jazz successfully avoided the play-in tournament Tuesday, securing a playoff berth with a 121-115 overtime victory over Memphis at home. They followed that with Wednesday’s 137-101 home rout of the Thunder. Despite playing without point guard Mike Conley (knee) and forward Donovan Mitchell (rest), Utah easily cashed as a whopping 15.5-point chalk against Oklahoma City. That ended the team’s eight-game non-cover streak (0-7-1 ATS). The Jazz have been dominant at home for more than two months, going 14-1 SU/9-3-2 ATS since Feb. 2. The lone defeat was to the defending champion Bucks (117-111 on March 14). Utah is in fifth place in the West, a half-game ahead of Denver. The Jazz, who won the tiebreaker over the Nuggets, will either be the No. 5 or No. 6 seed in the playoffs.
Injuries: Booker (back), Paul (thumb) and Ayton (ankle) are off the Suns’ injury report. All are expected to take the court Friday. Likewise, Conley and Mitchell are expected to return to action for Utah. No key players for either team were on the injury report as of midday Friday ET.
Notable Trends
- Phoenix is 4-0 ATS in its last four as an underdog
- Phoenix is 6-0 ATS this season as a ’dog of less than 3 points
- Utah is 16-33-4 ATS in its last 53 overall
- Utah is 2-7 ATS this season as a favorite of less than 3 points
- Under is 5-1 in Phoenix’s last six overall
- Over is 4-1 in Utah’s last five overall
- Over is 4-0-1 in Utah’s last five at home
- Phoenix is 6-2 ATS in its last eight vs. Utah
- Over is 4-1 in the last five Jazz-Suns meetings
Phoenix Suns vs Utah Jazz Odds and Action
UPDATE 7:45 P.M. ET: Two hours before tipoff, Utah is a 2.5-point favorite in WynnBet’s Friday NBA odds market, matching Thursday afternoon’s opening line. But the line had some volatility, dipping to pick ’em Thursday evening, rebounding to Jazz -3 overnight, then returning to -2.5 this morning. It’s two-way action on the spread, with 53% of tickets on the Jazz and 56% of money on the Suns. The total opened at 226.5, dipped to 225.5 this morning, then quickly rebounded to 228, where it sits now. Ticket count is 2/1 and money 3/1 on the Over.