The NBA‘s last unbeaten team finally fell as the Utah Jazz lost to the in-form Chicago Bulls last night. Utah will now be keen to avoid their first losing streak of the season as they visit the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks, who are struggling at the moment with some key starters missing.
Meanwhile, two of the big challengers to the Bucks’ throne – the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers – are both keen to have a winning record for the first time after up-and-down starts to the season.
Read on below as SBOTOP previews all five games on the slate.
Sacramento Kings @ Dallas Mavericks
The Kings are off to a strong 3-2 start, with all three of their wins coming on the road. They are coming off back-to-back close wins over the Suns and Pelicans. Wings Harrison Barnes and Buddy Hield are both shooting the ball very well to start the season. Barnes leads the team in scoring at 25 PPG while shooting a sizzling 52 per cent on 3-pointers.
Barnes and the Kings will be keen to further improve their road record when they face the Mavericks, who are coming off a big 113-87 defeat to the Hawks last time out. Dallas shot a disastrous 33 per cent from the field – superstar Luka Doncic scored just 18 points on 6-of-17 shooting – as they continue to struggle under new coach Jason Kidd.
Utah Jazz @ Milwaukee Bucks
The Jazz’s four-game win streak to start the season finally came to an end last night in a 107-99 defeat to the Bulls. Guards Donovan Mitchell and Jordan Clarkson were ice-cold as they went a combined 14-of-46 from the field, and the Jazz as a team were just 11-of-38 on 3-pointers.
Utah will be out to bounce back right away when they face the struggling Bucks, who are now 3-3 after back-to-back losses to the Timberwolves and Spurs. Giannis Antetokounmpo (27.6 PPG, 11.6 RPG) is off to a strong start, but the defending champions are sorely missing starters Brook Lopez and Jrue Holiday, who are still out due to injuries.
Betting Tip: Utah Jazz Asian Handicap -2.00 @ 2.08
Portland Trail Blazers @ Charlotte Hornets
The Blazers are back above .500 after back-to-back blowout home wins over the Grizzlies and Clippers. The dependable Damian Lillard-CJ McCollum backcourt continues to lead the way offensively, while the much-maligned Portland defence kept their opponents to sub-50 per cent shooting in both games, which is a promising sign.
They will look to keep that run going against the Hornets, who have lost two of their last three games. After a strong shooting start, reigning Rookie of the Year LaMelo Ball has cooled off significantly and is just 5-of-28 from the field in his last two games.
Detroit Pistons @ Brooklyn Nets
The struggling Pistons – the last team without a win in the league – are winless no more. They defeated the Magic 110-103 on No. 1 pick Cade Cunningham’s pro debut. Like the rest of Detroit’s starters, the rookie struggled with his shot, finishing just 1 of 8. But the Pistons reserves picked up the slack as they combined for 59 points.
However, the NBA 2021 odds will be against the Pistons when they visit the Kyrie Irving-less Nets, who improved to 3-3 after a win over the Pacers. James Harden finally broke out of his early-season slump by scoring 29 points and going 16-of-19 from the free-throw line. LaMarcus Aldridge also broke out 21 points off the bench as he reached 20,000 career points.
Betting Tip: Brooklyn Nets Asian Handicap -12.00 @ 1.87
Houston Rockets @ Los Angeles Lakers
The Rockets’ rough run of NBA 2021 results to start the season continues. They have dropped to 1-4 after three straight losses, which includes a 31-point beatdown against the Jazz. Rookie Jalen Green had a torrid time against Utah, shooting just 3 of 16 from the field and 0 of 8 on 3-pointers.
Houston problems will likely benefit the Lakers, who improved to 3-3 after a 12-point win over the Cavaliers, their biggest win of the young season. LeBron James made his return from an ankle injury by scoring 26 points. Carmelo Anthony also added 24 points off the bench.
Meanwhile, Russell Westbrook is quickly showing signs of improvement after a tough start to life in LA. The former MVP is averaging 24 points on over 50 per cent shooting.
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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