Hawks Soar Into Utah: Hawks Struggle Without Trae Young
Hawks vs Jazz Betting Odds, Matchup and More
The Hawks started their long road trip with a disappointing loss to the Trail Blazers on Wednesday. Dejounte Murray’s 40 points wasn’t enough to overcome big games from Portland’s Deandre Ayton and Anfernee Simons.
Still fighting for playoff positioning without their star Trae Young, these losses are immensely costly for the Hawks. They will look to get back on track Friday against the struggling Jazz.
The Utah Jazz fell short against the Boston Celtics on Tuesday in a 107-123 defeat. Despite a strong effort from Jordan Clarkson, who chipped in 27 points, the Jazz were unable to overcome a franchise record 70 first-half points by Boston. The Jazz will need to tighten up their defense to compete on Friday.
The Hawks vs Jazz betting odds opened with Jazz +2.5 at home. The total was set at 224.5. Let’s take those NBA spreads and see what it means for this matchup. As these teams represent two of the bottom four defensive teams, and NBA games today are so offensively focused, expect this game to be a shootout.
Atlanta Hawks vs Utah Jazz 
Day/Time:
Location: Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah
Streaming: NBA TV, KJZZ, PeachtreeTV
Let the Kids Play
The Jazz have missed their best player, Lauri Markkenen, for the last four games, going 1-3 during that stretch. There is a good chance Lauri may miss another and the Jazz are likely in no hurry, at 6.5 games out of the Play-In Tournament position, developing their young core may be more important than wins.
Jazz fans can find solace in the fact that rookie Keyonte George looks like a potential future piece for the franchise. George has averaged 18.8 points, 5.6 assists, and 2.8 rebounds in his last ten games (including a game he left in the first quarter due to illness), and has found success from beyond the arc.
the rook’s been 𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 from deep 🎯#TakeNote | @Qualtrics pic.twitter.com/AWIBCKmUlC
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) March 13, 2024
Those who have been betting on George have also been able to make some nice scratch. He has hit the over on his points total six times in the last eight games. If oddsmakers continue to doubt him Friday, a look at his over against the Hawks’ 28th-ranked defense seems like a good play.
No Ice Please
Trae Young, also known as “Ice Trae”, is currently the face of the Atlanta Hawks franchise. Many around the league think that their divorce is inevitable and some even question the Hawks’ desire to keep him. Defensive limitations and the acquisition of Dejounte Murray have made him seem expendable. However, Murray’s name was also involved in trade rumors during the deadline, the Hawks may be ready for a shake-up this offseason.
Dejounte Murray has averaged 23.0 points, 8.1 assists, and 6.1 rebounds in his last ten games, all exceeding his season averages. Running the offense in Trae’s absence, he has increased his assists by 2.3 per game. However, the additional responsibility has impacted his rebounding, with him going under on rebounds in three of his last four games.
The Hawks have a winning record of 7-6 without Young this season and will have a good shot at adding to that Thursday. The Hawks are still in the NBA playoff hunt and have good reason to keep fighting for better positioning.
The Hawks Need it More
The Hawks vs Jazz betting odds opened at Jazz +2.5. The Jazz are 2-8 in their last ten games and 4-6 against the spread. Meanwhile, the Hawks are an even 5-5 straight up and against the spread in their last ten. The Jazz also have a strong home-court advantage, going 21-11 ATS at home. The Hawks, on the other hand, struggle to cover on the road and are 11-21 ATS on the road.
Our NBA power rankings have both these teams near the bottom of the league, the Utah Jazz coming in at 24th and the Hawks at 21st. Atlanta has a bit more to play for in this game, still fighting for a playoff spot, and we expect that to be the difference-maker in this one. The Jazz have one of the best home-court advantages in the league but they are giving their young talent the keys and seeing what they can do.
Take these Hawks vs Jazz betting odds and player props and enjoy this matchup on NBA TV Friday night.
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