Wizards vs Jazz Picks & Odds: Utah Favored Over Reeling Wizards

The Utah Jazz (18-16 SU, 19-15 ATS) welcome the Washington Wizards (12-20, 12-18-2) to Vivint Arena on Thursday. Both teams have struggled of late but which club has the edge in this matchup? Find out in our Wizards vs Jazz prediction.

Join A Top-Tier NBA Betting Site Now

Wizards vs Jazz Sportsbook Odds

The Jazz opened as the 5.5-point favorite at home with the total set at 229 points. The OVER is 6-2 in the last eight meetings between the two teams while Washington has just one win in its last 11 contests, giving the hosts a clear edge in our Wizards vs Jazz prediction.

Get the best Wizards vs Jazz odds and lines available from our recommended sportsbooks for your favorite picks of the night.

Wizards Snap 10-Game Skid vs Suns

The Wizards finally ended a 10-game losing streak on Tuesday with a 113-110 win over the Phoenix Suns. Kyle Kuzma (29 points) and Bradley Beal (27 points) led the way offensively while Deni Avdija (16 points, 10 rebounds) posted a double-double. Landry Shamet (31 points) and Deandre Ayton (30 points) led Phoenix.

Washington has had a ton of injury problems over the last few weeks, but they are getting an important piece back on Thursday as Rui Hachimura (ankle) is set to make his first appearance since November 18. Hachimura is averaging 11.6 points per game in just 23 minutes off the bench this season. Meanwhile, Kristaps Porzingis is listed as questionable with an illness.

Markkanen Scores 38 As Jazz Top Pistons

The Jazz picked up a victory in their last game on Tuesday, defeating the Detroit Pistons 126-111. Lauri Markkanen scored 38 points, including a career-high nine three-pointers, while Jarred Vanderbilt (18 points, 13 rebounds) had a double-double. Jaden Ivey (30 points) was the only player to score more than 15 for Detroit.

Markkanen has been heating up in December, averaging 25 points per game while scoring 30-plus in two of his last four outings. The power forward leads the Jazz in both points and rebounds per game and has helped Utah establish the fourth-best offense in the NBA at 116.9 points per contest.

Jazz Player Prop: Markkanen OVER 25 Points (+106)

Markkanen will be going into this matchup with plenty of confidence after matching his season high with 38 points last time out while shooting 65 percent from the field and 69 percent from three-point territory. Facing a reeling Wizards team, there’s no reason why Markkanen shouldn’t hit the OVER on 25 points.

Wizards: Keys To Victory

Whether it’s porous defense or lackluster offense, the Wizards have struggled at both ends of the court over the last month, and if Porzingis is out Thursday, they’ll take another big hit. Beal, Porzingis and Kuzma have been a solid trio for the Wizards, but they’ll likely need all three of them firing to beat the Jazz.

Jazz: Keys To Victory

The Jazz have hit a bump in December, going 4-5 over their last nine contests with some uncharacteristically weak offensive performances, including scoring just 97 and 99 points in their last two defeats. Utah bounced back on Tuesday, though, as their starters combined for 94. Another well-rounded performance should get them the win over the Wizards.

NBA Computer Pick: Wizards +6.5

Check out more of our signature NBA computer picks, plus our favorite sportsbooks that serve basketball customers.