Senior Writer Vegas Matty of OffshoreInsiders.com previews New Orleans Hornets (40-31) at Utah Jazz (36-36).
This Western Conference matchup between the New Orleans Hornets (40-31) and the Utah Jazz (36-36) simply will not be the same on Thursday since the home team’s former point guard Deron Williams was traded to New Jersey. Williams and New Orleans point guard Chris Paul were both taken in the first round of the 2005 NBA draft, selected third and fourth, respectively. Utah had won four of the previous five meetings in this unique personal rivalry between the players and was favored in each of them. Without Williams, the Hornets (-1.5) are small road favorites.
The Jazz have been a mess since the blockbuster deal that sent Williams to the Nets for point guard Devin Harris and Derrick Favors, both of whom could miss this game due to injuries. They are just 5-10 straight-up in their last 15 games without Williams – going 5-9-1 against the spread – and in danger of missing out on the playoffs for the first time since the 2005-06 season.
Utah returns home after losing every game on a three-game road trip, capped by a 106-94 setback at Oklahoma City on Wednesday. Earl Watson started for Harris (hamstring) and scored 10 points while Al Jefferson led the way with a game-high 32 points and 12 rebounds. Former Butler star Gordon Hayward continued to struggle during his rookie year, scoring just seven points on 1 of 10 shooting off the bench. The OVER has cashed in five of the team’s last six games.
While the Jazz dropped four games behind Memphis for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference with 10 games left to play, New Orleans is trying to avoid being passed by the Grizzlies for seventh place. The Hornets are just a half-game ahead of Memphis and likely looking at a first-round playoff matchup with either San Antonio or the defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers unless they can catch Portland or Denver for the fifth or sixth spot.
New Orleans has lost two of three both SU and ATS after winning four of five and covering five straight. The team has been off since losing 89-85 at home to Boston on Saturday, when Paul had one of his worst games of the season. He did not convert a field goal for the fourth time in his career and scored just four points to go along with a game-high 15 assists and seven rebounds after averaging nearly 29 points in the previous three games. The UNDER is 10-3 in the last 13 games for the Hornets overall and 5-1 in the past six meetings with Utah.
Top expert pick on today’s card: Mr. March swept college plays the last two nights and Thursday is more of the same. Get the Wisconsin and Butler Wise Guy side, two NCAA totals Butler-Wisconsin and BYU-Florida, plus more may be coming. Get Rivers picks