NBA Wednesday Preview:  Utah Jazz (26-18) @ Portland Trail Blazers (27-19)

With most of everyone’s attention being on the Super Bowl odds, various prop bets and NFL picks , many are overlooking the NBA that has some interesting midseason matchups to bet on.

This Wednesday Deron Williams leads the Utah Jazz into Portland to face LaMarcus Aldridge and the Blazers.

Sportsbook outlook:

Spread: Jazz -2.5

Over/Under: 195.5

Money Lines: Jazz -150, Blazers +125

Let’s take a look at the matchups in this one:

PG: Deron Williams vs. Andre Miller

Deron Williams has been one of the best point guards in the game since he joined the league from the University of Illinois. He has a gold medal as a part of the “Redeem Team” two summers ago. This season has been more of the same from Williams who is averaging 18.9 points, 9.6 assists and 3.9 rebounds with a steal per game for the Jazz. His on ball defense is a big part of his value.

Andre Miller has been well traveled in the NBA and many thought that he would have a hard time adjusting to Portland’s slow-paced methodical half-court approach. Well, after Greg Oden and Joel Pryzbilla went down for the season and now without Brandon Roy for the forseable future, Miller gets to play his style. He has always been a great passer, but has rarely been accused of being a great teammate.

Advantage: Utah

SG: Ronnie Brewer vs. Rudy Fernandez

If the Jazz have a weakness, it’s at shooting guard. Brewer has been platooning with Kyle Korver and Wesley Matthews at this spot mainly because of his lack of range on his shot (7-27 from 3 this season). Brewer offers the best defensive option at the position but his name has been floated around in trade talks, most notably with Memphis, who is looking for bench depth.

Rudy Fernandez remains an enigma in the NBA. After dazzling everyone with dunks and threes in the Olympics for Silver medalist Spain, Fernandez has never really gained any consistency at the highest level. With star guard Brandon Roy, out with a hamstring (and getting experiemental plasma treatment to it), Rudy finally gets a chance to start and show why he was the second best player in Spain behind Pau Gasol.

Advantage: Blazers

SF: Andrei Kirilenko vs. Martell Webster

AK-47 has been in the Jerry Sloan’s doghouse for his uninspired play for most of the season. Recently, Kirilenko was moved to the starting lineup and has two 25+ point games in his last three contests. The former all-star is regaining his form and is always tough defensively.

Webster has been a revelation for the Blazers with all the injuries to the team. Nic Batum came back from a shoulder injury against the Hornets Monday but played only10 minutes. Webster will have his playing time cut into, but is playing too well right now to be demoted back to the bench, especially for Batum. Still, neither player will be able to do much against the presence of AK-47.

Advantage: Jazz

PF: Carlos Boozer vs. LaMarcus Aldridge

Boozer is a perennial all-star and has put up another solid season for the Jazz. Averaging 18.9 points and 10.8 rebounds with 3.5 assists a steal and 54% shooting from the field. He is a premier power-forward with numbers backing it up.

Aldridge has emerged as a force and Portland’s best player for most of the season. Aldridge is averaging just over 16 points and 8 rebounds. Being forced to cover every team’s big man without a true center left on the roster, Aldridge has been putting in Yeoman’s work this season, but doesn’t appear to have the stats to make the trip to Dallas for the all-star game

Advantage: Jazz

C: Mehmet Okur vs. Juwan Howard

Memo Okur has seen his numbers fall off a bit from last season, but that is not that significant as his number have fallen to his carrer averages. Still shooting 38% from downtown, Memo stretches the defense and makes for a dynamic inside-outside game with him, Boozer and Deron Williams.

Juwan Howard should not be in the NBA anymore

Advantage : Jazz

Bench: Paul Millsap, Wesley Matthews, Ronnie Price, C.J. Miles, Kyle Korver vs Jeff Pendergraph, Dante Cunningham, Jerryd Bayless, Steve Blake

The Blazers are decimated by injuries. They have no true center on the roster. Rookie Dante Cunningham has shown he hassome skill, but is still very young. Bayless and Blake are both point guards, a position filled by Andre Miller.

The Jazz have perhaps the best backup power forward in the league in Paul Millsap as well as shooters that can come off the bench.

Advantage: Jazz

Prediction: The Jazz seem to have too much man power for the beaten up Trail Blazers. I expect the Jazz to take this one handily: Utah 108- Portland 92

NBA Picks: Take the Jazz and the under

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