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New Orleans Pelicans: Betting guide vs. Utah Jazz

By Jason Reed

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 28: (L-R) Royce O'Neale #23, Rudy Gobert #27 and Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Utah Jazz during the first half of the NBA game against the Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena on October 28, 2019 in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 28: (L-R) Royce O'Neale #23, Rudy Gobert #27 and Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Utah Jazz during the first half of the NBA game against the Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena on October 28, 2019 in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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The New Orleans Pelicans are on a bit of a role and are looking to continue their strong play on the road on Saturday against the Utah Jazz.

After a horrendous start to the season, the New Orleans Pelicans have been on a roll as of late and have turned their early 2019 season from a trainwreck to salvageable. The Pelicans have won three games in a row, five of their last seven and now have a 6-9 record.

New Orleans was one of the worst teams in the league with their 1-7 record but has since given the fans some promising signs that they could be a playoff contender once they become fully healthy.

Granted, they did face some teams at the right time as they were battling injuries but the Pelicans have been the most injured team in the league outside of the Golden State Warriors.

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Regardless, the team is going to have to keep winning games this early in the season if it wants any hope of actually making the playoffs once Zion Williamson and company return. In a tight and talented Western Conference, every game will matter at the end of the year.

We do not want to overstate the meaning of a November NBA game but the Pelicans need to take a win wherever they get it, which on Saturday night, could be Utah.

The Pelicans face off against the 10-5 Utah Jazz for the first time this season. On paper, this is a terrible matchup for New Orleans as the Jazz has one of the best defenses in the league with a solid offense while New Orleans has one of the worst defenses in the league.

Oddsmakers agree with this sentiment as well but perhaps not as much as it may seem. According to the Action Network, the Pelicans are six-point underdogs on the road against the Jazz, which quite frankly, is not as high of a line as it seems.

Of course, as we have with most games this season, we have to make our prediction against the spread.

Against the spread prediction (Record: 5-7-1): Utah Jazz -6

I hate picking against the New Orleans Pelicans but not picking against them enough is what has led to me owning a 5-7-1 record on the year. Tonight, with the line much lower than I anticipated, I have to take the Jazz minus six.

This feels like a game that can get away from New Orleans and that the Jazz can easily win by double figures. The line initially opened at eight points, which is right around where I think it should have been, but so much action on the Pelicans moved the line down to six.

Pelicans are a playoff team at full strength. dark. Next

That is where we swoop in and take the line when it is much lower than it should be. And while it would suck to see New Orleans lose, if they lose by exactly seven I will be smirking at the end of it.

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