Kings vs Jazz: Odds, Prediction, and Betting Tips 

By Sam Batz

The Sacramento Kings will travel to Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 3rd to take on the Utah Jazz. The Kings are the 6 seed in the West with a 19-16 and will look to remain positioned to make the playoffs for the first time since 2005. Utah is the 10 seed in the Western Conference at 19-20 and have lost their last four games. The Jazz will look to break their losing streak against the Kings on Tuesday, but will need to keep up with Sacramento’s fast-paced offense and speedy guards. 

The Kings are averaging 118.0 points per game, just barely behind the league’s best Boston Celtic’s. Sacramento has seen an offensive resurgence in recent years after drafting players like De’Aaron Fox, who leads the team in points per game, and picking up star players like Domantas Sabonis, who is averaging a double-double with 18.6 points and 12.4 rebounds. The Kings are often overlooked and underrated as they have not seen the postseason in 17 years, but Sacramento has a real shot at seeing a long awaited playoff berth. 

Utah has struggled this year after losing key players in the offseason. The Jazz lost All-Stars Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert to the Cavs and Timberwolves respectively, and have struggled to fill their shoes. Power forward Lauri Markkanen leads the team with 23.8 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. Veterans Jordan Clarckson and Mike Conley have done their best to contribute to the team’s success but have not been able to muster the production they saw in their younger years. Agile point guard Collin Sexton is out with a shoulder injury and will miss Tuesday’s game, leaving it up to Conely and Clarckson to facilitate the offense. 

Both the Kings and the Jazz have struggled to stop anyone on defense. The Jazz are allowing 116.6 points per game to opponents, while the Kings are allowing 116.7 points. They are each allowing the opposition to score 48% of their field goals and about 35% of their three-pointers. However, they can both score the rock no problem. The Kings and Jazz each rank in the top-five in average points per game, putting up over 120 points the last time they played each other. The Kings are trying to stay in playoff contention, while the Jazz are on the outside looking in after dropping four-straight games. 

 

Kings vs Jazz Odds

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Betting Trends

• The Jazz are 2-3 ATS in their last five games
• The Kings are 0-5 ATS in their last five games
• The Jazz are 10-8 ATS at home this year
• The Kings are 10-7 ATS on the road this year
• The Jazz are 17-10 ATS against the West this year
• The Kings are 9-7 ATS against the West this year
• The Jazz Over/Under record is 10-8 at home this year 
• The Kings Over/Under record is 5-12 on the road this year

 

Kings vs. Jazz All-Time Series

The Kings and the Jazz have played 202 regular season games against each other, starting in 1974. The Utah Jazz have the advantage in this series, winning a total of 117 games compared to the Sacramento Kings 85 wins. They have played each other just once this season. It was a thrilling game, but the Kings took the win, beating Utah 126-125. The Jazz had won eight straight games against the Kings before the matchup this year, possibly signaling a changing of the guard in this series. 

 

Key To The Game: Can Either Team Step-Up on Defense? 

The Kings and the Jazz do not play great defense. It will be a high scoring game between these two sides, as both have failed to keep their opponents in check this year. In each side’s last ten matchups, the Kings have given up an average of 121.1 points per game, while the Jazz have allowed 118.7. Defense has been a major issue for both of these Western Conference teams, and Tuesday night’s matchup will be another tough test for the Jazz and Kings rim protectors.  

Prediction

According to ESPN, Utah has a 61.2% chance to win the game. However, I like the Kings in this one. They are younger, faster, and will outpace the Jazz on the fast-break all night. The Jazz are missing a key player in Collin Sexton and will struggle to slow down Sacramento points guard De’Aaron Fox, who is averaging 23.4 points per game and posted 24 points and 10 assists the last time these two played. Sabonis will also be a problem for Utah, as he put up 28 points and 11 rebounds against the Jazz on Dec. 30th. It will be a close game, but I predict the Kings will squeak this one out to improve to a 20-16 record. 

 

Prediction: Sacramento Kings moneyline and the over.

 

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