76ers Limp into Utah as Injuries Continue to Pile Up
76ers vs Jazz Line: Utah 16-5 ATS at Home
The Philadelphia 76ers conclude their four-game West Coast swing on Thursday (10 p.m. ET) against the Utah Jazz. The 76ers have lost all four games on their current road trip as injuries continue to pile up.
Utah opened as a 6-point favorite on the NBA point spread at -105 and -218 on the moneyline, with Philadelphia priced +180 to win outright. The projected total is 234.5.
What can bettors expect? Read on as we break down both teams and assess the76ers vs Jazz line.
Philadelphia 76ers at Utah Jazz 
Date, time:
Location: Delta Center; Salt Lake City, Utah
Streaming: Live Sports Stream
76ers vs Jazz Betting Trends
The Philadelphia 76ers are 28-18 ATS, including 12-11 away from home. Philadelphia has also gone Over the total in 28 of its 46 games. Meanwhile, the Utah Jazz are 29-20 ATS, including 16-5 at home. Utah also owns a mark of 27-22 against the Over/Under.
Be sure to keep these trends in mind when assessing the 76ers vs Jazz line.
Embiid Hurt, 76ers’ Woes Continue
Joel Embiid’s return to Philadelphia’s lineup was short-lived. The reigning NBA MVP injured his left knee late in Tuesday’s 119-107 loss to the Warriors.
Embiid, who had missed the prior two games with knee soreness, exited with 4:04 remaining when Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga fell on his left leg. Sixers coach Nick Nurse said afterward that Embiid would undergo an MRI exam on Wednesday.
The 76ers dropped their fourth straight game to fall to 29-17, leaving them fifth in the Eastern Conference NBA standings. They had hoped to get back star guard Tyrese Maxey for the second night of a back-to-back, but he missed his third consecutive game because of a sprained left ankle.
Oddsmakers remain bullish on the 76ers, pricing them +500 to win the East and +1200 to win the NBA Finals. They’re currently one of six teams with 12/1 title odds or better. But ultimately their outlook will be tied to the health of Embiid, who leads the league in scoring (35.3 PPG) but has already missed 12 games. According to the league’s new participation rules, Embiid can miss only five more games before he loses his eligibility for MVP.
As such, Embiid’s MVP odds have plummeted from +220 to +1500 just this week. Denver’s Nikola Jokic is the current favorite at -120, followed by Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (+300), Dallas’ Luka Doncic (+550) and Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo (+750).
Philadelphia is 28-18 but has failed to cover in five of its last six games. As for the Over/Under, Philadelphia has gone Over the total in 60.9% of its games, the second-highest rate in the league behind Golden State (61.4%). That’s important to remember when analyzing the76ers vs Jazz line.
Home Sweet Home for Utah
The Jazz return home following a six-game road trip that concluded with a pair of blowout losses to the Nets and Knicks. They went 2-4 on the trip, and now sit a disappointing 24-25 on the season. That’s good for 10th place in the Western Conference.
Although the Jazz theoretically remain in the thick of the postseason picture, next month’s trade deadline could shape their path over the second half of the regular season. Guard Jordan Clarkson and forward John Collins, two of Utah’s top four scorers, have both been floated as potential trade candidates in theNBA rumormill
Oddsmakers have kept a skeptical outlook, pricing the Jazz +185 to participate in the postseason play-in tournament but +750 to make the playoffs.
Lauri Markkanen is Utah’s leading scorer, averaging 23.5 points on 49.1% shooting to go with 8.7 rebounds.
Utah has been one of the league’s most profitable teams for bettors, going 29-20 ATS. That includes 16-5 at home. The Jazz have covered in seven of their last 10 games. As for the Over/Under, the Jazz are 27-22 and have gone Over the total in five of their previous seven games.
Handicapping the Game
Injuries to Embiid and Maxey have created a lot of uncertainty for Philadelphia. Maxey is listed as questionable for Thursday, and it’s difficult to see Embiid returning even if tests indicate he’s in the clear. The 76ers have dropped to fifth in the East and could fall further depending on how their injuries shake out.
Without their two best players, the 76ers are left to rely on Tobias Harris and Kelly Oubre Jr. Both are capable scorers, but there’s only so much they can do given their supporting cast.
The Jazz have been dominant at home despite their sub-.500 record, going 9-1 over their last 10 games and 15-6 on the season. That includes 16-5 ATS.
For NBA betting odds, analysis and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
