posted November 5, 2009 at 12:42 EST in NBA Free Picks
NBA Betting Picks - San Antonio vs. Utah
by Dave D
San Antonio Spurs at Utah Jazz
Thursday, November 5th – 10:30 PM ET
Basketball Betting Spread: Spurs -1.5
The Week That Was: Spurs
San Antonio Spurs has only played three games in the past week, and has been idle since a Saturday win over Sacramento. The not-so-crowded nature of their early schedule means that the Spurs will play a number of back-to-back sets in the coming months, but entering this game, the veterans who populate the San Antonio roster will be very fresh.
A 2-1 record through three games is reasonable enough, but home games against New Orleans and Sacramento shouldn’t turn into losses. Coach Gregg Popovich surely laments his team’s inability to go into Chicago and defeat the Bulls on Oct. 29. That’s in the past, however; this contest offers one of the NBA’s elite teams a chance to snag a road win against a familiar foe.
The Week That Was: Jazz
The Utah Jazz, who got shredded by Denver and Houston and have lacked defensive intensity for most of their season, were just about to get on track in Dallas on Tuesday night. Leading 67-52 after three periods, coach Jerry Sloan’s roster was holding down a talented and explosive opponent.
Then the roof caved in, as Dallas superstar Dirk Nowitzki went unconscious, scoring 29 fourth-quarter points (two short of Wilt Chamberlain’s NBA record, set in 1962) to lead the Mavericks to a 96-85 win, and sending the Jazz to their third loss in four games. For a team that meekly bowed out of the playoffs last spring against the Los Angeles Lakers, the new season was supposed to bring about superior effort and execution, but that just hasn’t happened for Utah.
Jerry Sloan’s methods should be familiar and comfortable, but apparently, some lessons need to be re-learned in Salt Lake City.
Outlook & Pick
Utah, as NBA observers know well, is a rhythm team. The Jazz run the same half court sets and employ the same principles in their offense, season after season, and opponents still can’t stop them because the execution is so crisp and precise.
So far, however, the Jazz aren’t clicking, as the uncertain situation of free agent Carlos Boozer has proved to be a distraction. Mehmet Okur has been dinged up, and the roster just hasn’t responded to the start of a new season.
Under these circumstances, a San Antonio team with fresh legs – due to four straight days off – should benefit from its extra down time. A healthy Spurs team is a very dangerous force. The Jazz should find that out on Thursday night at EnergySolutions Arena.
