Oklahoma City (2-3) at Utah (3-2)
When: Friday, April 27th 2018
Where: Vivint Smart Home Arena, Salt Lake City, UT
Time: 10:35 ET | TV: ESPN
Opening Odds: Utah -5.5/206
Partway through the quarter of Game 5, the Utah Jazz probably thought their next home game would be in the second round of the NBA Playoffs – then Thunder struck (pun intended). The Jazz will try and shake off a monstrous collapse when they host Oklahoma City in Game 6 of their Western Conference first round series on Friday night, and try and close out the Thunder. Utah led Game 5 by 15 points at halftime and quickly grew the advantage to 71-46 after back-to-back 3-pointers by Jae Crowder. The Thunder woke-up and proceeded to go on a 32-7 run to tie the game up heading into the fourth quarter. Russell Westbrook recorded 45 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists, and Oklahoma City stayed alive in their best-of-seven series by posting a 107-99 victory. Paul George added 34 points and eight rebounds as Oklahoma City cut Utah’s lead in the best-of-seven series to 3-2. Westbrook and George took over in the second half, scoring 33 and 21 points respectively after halftime. The home team has won four of the five games in this series and covering the spread in each of those four victories. Game 7, if necessary, would be Sunday back in Oklahoma City.
Westbrook hasn’t had the best series of his career, scoring less than 20 points in two of the first four games, but knew he had to take over the game for the series to go on. “It was win or go home,” Westbrook told reporters. George is showing why he tabbed himself ‘Playoff P’, with 30+ points in three games while averaging 28.6 points. The third member of the big three – Carmelo Anthony – is not have a very good series, scoring just seven points in Game 5 and averaging 12.8 points on 36.9% shooting. Westbrook took 39 shots and George 26 – the next closest was six shot attempts by Anthony and center Steven Adams.
The Utah collapse coincided with center Rudy Gobert picking up his fourth foul and then – after an 81-second return – his fifth foul and there was no recovering from the rally. Gobert still managed to record a double-double – his fourth straight – and is averaging 14.4 points and 10.8 rebounds in the series. Crowder made six 3-pointers and led Utah with 27 points in Game 5 after averaging just six points over the first four games. Rookie phenom Donovan Mitchell added 23 points, but was just 1-of-7 from beyond the arc. Ricky Rubio scored just 10, but recorded double-digit rebounds (12) for the second time this series.
Utah is still the better team in this series despite what happened in Game 5. As long as Gobert can stay on the court, the Thunder won’t be able to get easy baskets. The Jazz dominated the previous two games in Salt Lake City, and I expect them to do the same here.
Pick: Jazz -6
- Thunder are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games following a straight up win.
- Thunder are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Thunder are 7-20 ATS in their last 27 vs. NBA Northwest.
- Thunder are 4-13-1 ATS in their last 18 Friday games.
- Thunder are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games following a ATS win.
- Jazz are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 home games.
- Jazz are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Jazz are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Jazz are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 Conference Quarterfinals games.
- Jazz are 11-5 ATS in their last 16 games playing on 1 days rest.
- Jazz are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
- Under is 4-1 in Thunder last 5 games following a ATS win.
- Under is 9-3 in Thunder last 12 games playing on 1 days rest.
- Under is 8-3 in Thunder last 11 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Under is 8-3 in Thunder last 11 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Under is 5-2 in Thunder last 7 road games.
- Under is 5-2 in Thunder last 7 games following a straight up win.
- Under is 7-3 in Thunder last 10 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
- Under is 13-6 in Thunder last 19 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
- Over is 7-1 in Jazz last 8 games following a ATS loss.
- Over is 5-1 in Jazz last 6 home games.
- Over is 5-1 in Jazz last 6 games following a straight up loss.
- Over is 5-1 in Jazz last 6 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Over is 8-2 in Jazz last 10 games playing on 1 days rest.
- Over is 12-4 in Jazz last 16 vs. Western Conference.
- Over is 11-5 in Jazz last 16 overall.
- Under is 19-9 in Jazz last 28 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
- Under is 21-10-1 in Jazz last 32 vs. NBA Northwest.
- Under is 8-2 in the last 10 meetings in Utah.
- Favorite is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.
- Home team is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.
- Under is 15-6 in the last 21 meetings.
