Toronto Raptors vs Utah Jazz Point Spread Picks

Toronto is the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference and sports a 20-15 road record. They got blown out Sunday at Phoenix, with four of five starters playing 26 minutes or less. That ended a 3-1 SU, 4-0 ATS run, including beating Detroit (119-108) as an underdog. The defense is ninth in points given up and 10th in shooting allowed. Utah has the second-worst record in the West and the fourth-worst point differential in the NBA (minus 7.5). Seven players are out, including Isaiah Collier (11.7 ppg, 7.2 apg) and Keyonte George (23.6 ppg, 6.1 apg). They got steamrolled at home in the last game by Philadelphia (126-116), getting outscored 74-52 in the paint. The defense is last in points given up (124.4 per game) and 27th in shooting allowed (48.9%), on a 4-12 SU, 6-10 ATS run. Play Toronto. 

The Toronto Raptors playoff hopes are on life support as they trail the Chicago Bulls by five games for the last Eastern Conference play-in seed. Toronto is just 7-23 on the road for the season. The Jazz are 15-51 and have a long way to go toward being competitive once again. The Jazz have lost seven straight games. The Jazz, however, have come to compete when they are playing poor teams, and for the season when they are a favorite in the game or not a dog of more than 5.5 points, they are 12-7 ATS. I think the Jazz have proven to be highly competitive in games that are expected to be competitive, and I like them in this spot. Make the play on Utah.

This is the first time the teams have met this season. Toronto has been home for the first time since Feb. 25, and the Raptors are 4-0 UNDER their past four home games following a road trip of at least seven days. The Raptors have gone UNDER three of five games while averaging only 105.0 points. They have allowed 112.4 points in that span. Utah has lost three in a row, and the Jazz have been forced to use many of their younger players due to many injuries, including four starters from earlier in the season. Toronto also has many key injuries, including those of both starting guards. Take the UNDER.

Utah has won six of the past seven meetings and covered the spread the past three, including 126-119 over the Raptors on Dec. 23 in the only meeting this season. The Jazz shot 53 percent in that game with Lauri Markkanen and Jordan Clarkson scoring 30 points apiece. The Jazz have won nine of 11 and three in a row after defeating Denver 124-111 in Wednesday. Clarkson had 27 points to lead three 20-point scorers and the Jazz shot 55.4 percent against the Nuggets. Utah previously had beaten Milwaukee and Philadelphia on the road. Toronto has lost six of nine, including its last two games against the Lakers and Clippers in Los Angeles. This is the Raptors' ninth road game in 17 days and sixth in 10 days so they will be a tired team coming to Utah and playing in altitude. Utah is 13-3 ATS its past 16 home games. Play the Jazz.