Utah Jazz vs. Denver Nuggets Predictions, Picks, Odds

Kevin Rogers Sports Betting Expert

4 minute read

Nationally televised NBA coverage will conclude on Wednesday night with a heavyweight Western Conference bout between the Utah Jazz and Denver Nuggets. Coverage begins from Ball Arena at 10:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Score Prediction

Jazz 118, Nuggets 106

Best Bets

Jazz -6 (-110) at BetMGM

Utah Jazz vs. Denver Nuggets Predictions

After finishing third in the West with a record of 47-25 SU last year, Denver kicked off the new season on a seemingly encouraging note, as the Nuggets opened with a solid 9-4 SU and 7-6 ATS run – which included impressive upset victories over the Suns, Jazz, Grizzlies, and Heat.

The Nuggets have looked like a shell of that squad since their opening stretch though, considering Denver is just 9-13 SU and 8-14 ATS across the last 22 games – with ten of those SU losses coming by a double-digit margin.

On the other hand, Utah stumbled out to a surprisingly mediocre start to the season, as the Jazz went just 8-5 SU and 7-6 ATS in their first 13 contests – while averaging a pedestrian 110.2 PPG across that timeframe. 

The Jazz have dominated at both ends of the floor since their opening stretch though, considering Utah sits at 19-5 SU across the last 24 games, now leading the league in both scoring and offensive efficiency (116 PPG, 1.137 OE) – and ranking 5th in defensive efficiency (1.040 DE). 

I’ll lay the points with the Jazz here, as the Nuggets sit at just 3-3 SU and 2-4 ATS in their last six games, while averaging just 101 PPG across that stretch – which doesn’t bode well heading into a matchup against Utah’s top-ranked offensive attack on Wednesday night.

I’ll lay the points with the Jazz here, as the Nuggets sit at just 3-3 SU and 2-4 ATS in their last six games, while averaging just 101 PPG across that stretch – which doesn’t bode well heading into a matchup against Utah’s top-ranked offensive attack on Wednesday night.

More Odds | Futures Odds

Utah Jazz vs. Denver Nuggets Betting Resources

• Matchup: Northwest
• Date: Wednesday, January 5, 2022
• Venue: Ball Arena
• Location: Denver, Colorado
• TV-Time: ESPN - 10:00 p.m. ET
• Injury Report

Utah Jazz Betting Analysis

Straight Up - SU, Against the Spread - ATS, Over-Under (O/U)

• SU: 27-10
• ATS: 18-18-1
• O/U: 19-17-1

Utah has been the most consistent squad in the West over the last few seasons, which is no coincidence, considering the Jazz have seemingly flirted with a perfectly balanced attack for a couple of years now – yet continuously find new ways to improve upon that balance. 

The Jazz currently lead the league in both scoring and offensive efficiency (116 PPG, 1.137 OE), and when stellar shooting is combined with Utah’s fifth-ranked defensive efficiency rating (1.040 DE) – consistency rarely becomes an issue.

Denver Nuggets Betting Analysis

Straight Up - SU, Against the Spread - ATS, Over-Under (O/U)

• SU: 18-17
• ATS: 15-20
• O/U: 18-17

Despite the year-long absence of Jamal Murray, Denver has played solid basketball so far this season, as the Nuggets currently hover at 5th place in the West with a record of 18-17 SU – pacing the Clippers, Lakers, and Mavericks all by less than two games.

Denver always wields the ability to keep things competitive with Nikola Jokic leading the charge, but clearly, we should expect far less when additional pieces are absent such as Michael Porter Jr., Austin Rivers, and P.J. Dozier – highlighted by the Nuggets averaging just 101 PPG across their latest 3-3 and 2-4 ATS skid.

The total has gone OVER in nine of the last 12 matchups between Denver and Utah. (AP)

Utah Jazz vs. Denver Nuggets Head-to-Head

The Jazz won two-of-three regular-season matchups against Denver last year, with the first contest staying under the total at a score of 109-105 – while the following two events soared over at an average of 246 PPG.

The most recent matchup between these teams took place back in October of this season though, which resulted in another commanding, high-scoring victory for the Jazz (122-110).

Key Players to Watch

• UTA: Donovan Mitchell - SG (25.7 PPG, 3.9 REB, 5.1 AST)
• UTA: Rudy Gobert - C (15.5 PPG, 15.1 REB, 2.3 BLK)
• DEN: Nikola Jokic - C (25.7 PPG, 14 REB, 6.9 AST)
• DEN: Aaron Gordon - PF (14.1 PPG, 5.6 REB, 2.2 AST)

Utah Jazz vs. Denver Nuggets Betting Conclusion

After an ugly loss to the Mavericks on Monday night (L, 103-89), the Nuggets enter Wednesday’s contest as six-point home underdogs against the visiting Jazz – marking the third time Denver has been an underdog across the last four games.

I’ll lay the points with Utah here, as the Nuggets have scored 107 PTS or less in five of their last six games (101 PPG) – which sets the stage for a relatively non-competitive battle against Utah’s top-ranked offense (116 PPG, 1.137 OE).

Utah Jazz vs. Denver Nuggets Betting Trends

• The Jazz are 7-3 SU and 2-7-1 ATS in their last ten games.
• The total has gone OVER in nine of the last 12 matchups between Denver and Utah.
• The Nuggets are 2-4 ATS in their last six games.
• The total has gone UNDER in five of the last six Nuggets' games.

Kevin Rogers

Kevin has been handicapping professionally since 2007 at VegasInsider before shifting to ScoresAndOdds. He focuses on MLB, NFL, college football, NBA, college basketball, and NHL and mainly uses trends, systems, and situations as his top handicapping angles. More from Kevin Rogers