We have nine games on the NBA schedule for Sunday, March 20, including this inter-conference battle that will take place at Madison Square Garden. Take a look at the best Jazz vs. Knicks betting pick and odds.
The Jazz won the opening game of the series 113-104 in Salt Lake City, and the Knicks will be looking to tie the series with a win at home court. According to BetMGM NY Sportsbook, the Jazz are 4-point favorites with the total being set at 222 points.
Utah demolished the Clippers at home
The Utah Jazz concluded their four-game homestand with a pair of victories over the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Clippers. The win over the Clips was quite impressive, as Quin Snyder’s side dominated from the very start and deservedly secured a massive 121-92 win. The Jazz comfortably covered a -5.5 spread, and after three consecutive games they failed to cover, they now managed to do so in two straight. This win is even more impressive considering the Jazz played without several key players including Donovan Mitchell, Bojan Bogdanovic, and Hassan Whiteside. Utah will play the first of a back-to-back set as they face the Nets on Monday.
Jared Butler (21 PTS and 7 AST), Jordan Clarkson (20 PTS, 8 REB, 5 AST, and 2 STL), Rudy Gobert (19 PTS, 16 REB, and 2 BLK), and Eric Paschall (17 PTS and 4 REB) led the Jazz to this dominant win.
New York edged Washington at MSG
The New York Knicks returned home from a seven-game road trip and recorded a couple of home wins over the Portland Trail Blazers and Washington Wizards. Whilst they had no trouble beating the Blazers, the Knicks had a tougher job against the Wizards, but did snatch a tight 100-97 victory to keep their play-in hopes alive. However, following a seven-game run on which they covered the spread, the Knicks failed to do so this time around (-6).
Julius Randle (18 PTS, 17 REB, and 4 AST), RJ Barrett (18 PTS and 6 REB), Evan Fournier (15 PTS, 4 AST, and 3 STL), and Mitchell Robinson (15 PTS and 12 REB) played very well for the Knicks in this win.
Trends:
Utah:
- 0-5 ATS in the last five games on the road
- 3-13 ATS in the last 16 games when playing on the road against New York
- 1-6-1 ATS in the last eight games overall
New York:
- 7-1 ATS in the last eight games overall
- 5-0 ATS in the last five games vs. a team with a winning straight-up record
Utah Jazz vs. New York Knicks Pick
Not only are the Jazz facing the Knicks and then the Nets in two days, but they are also severely shorthanded at the moment. That wasn’t a factor against the Clippers, but it could be at MSG on Sunday because New York is desperately looking for a W.
The Knicks are five wins behind the Hornets, who occupy the final play-in spot at the moment, and with only 12 games to go in the regular season, they cannot afford to lose, especially at home. The Jazz, on the other hand, can afford to lose here, and I think coach Snyder will be cautious with his players.
Pick: Take the Knicks +4 at -110
The Total
New York’s defense has been excellent of late; the Knicks kept the opponents to below 100 points in four of the previous seven games. Utah will likely be without Mitchell and Bogdanovic, its top two scorers, so I don’t think the Jazz will be efficient on offense as they were against the Clippers.
The total has gone Under in 13 of Utah’s last 19 games this season. The total went Under in six of the Jazz’s previous seven games against an opponent in the Eastern Conference, while the total has gone Under in four of New York’s last five games against Utah.
Pick: Go Under 222 points
