Suns Set to Unleash Unexpected Strategy in Showdown Against Jazz

Ever wonder why NBA betting feels like trying to predict the weather—sunny one moment, then a sudden storm of questionable lineups the next? Tonight’s Jazz vs. Suns matchup perfectly captures that chaos. The Jazz, surprisingly scrappy for a squad seemingly content to take losses, have been weaving magic with 30 assists a game and Lauri Markkanen dropping a hefty 34 points on average. On the flip side, the Suns limp in with roster woes and a talent puzzle heightened by injuries but carry the home-court mojo that just might tip the scales. Toss in the fresh twist of the NBA Cup stakes, and you’ve got a game where every second counts and every point matters. So, who’s really got the edge when the dust settles and the ball drops at 10:00 ET? Let’s break it down and see if the Suns can bounce back or if the Jazz will keep their house in order tonight. LEARN MORE.

Jazz vs. Suns, 10:00 ET

Basketball betting is a challenge for different reasons than almost any other sport. With the NBA, aside from the obvious issues they’ve shown where some players are purposefully playing poorly, there are always lineup things happening. You can think a player will start a game all day, see that they go through shootaround, and still fall short of starting. The Lakers mysteriously have upgraded Luka Doncic to being questionable for tonight, as an example. Will he play? Who knows? You can’t bet on that game until you know if he is in or not. I do have a different game that I like as the Jazz are taking on the Suns tonight.

The Jazz have looked rather competent for a team that is expected to try and lose as many games as possible this season. They are 2-2 for the year having beaten the Clippers in the opener, and the Suns a few days ago. The past three games have been incredibly close, with the final score being five or less in all three of the games. The Jazz are doing a lot of playmaking and averaging 30 assists per game. Moving the ball around is something most teams don’t focus on – especially now. With so many players loving isolation basketball, it is easy to forget the purpose is to make the entire defense move and react to those movements. Lauri Markkanen has been fantastic for the Jazz this season, averaging 34 points per game. Their starting five is averaging 90 points per game, which is pretty impressive for the club. I do think some of their shooting will start to come down to Earth. They are hitting a ton of free throws, and shooting fairly well from the field. Their three-point shooting, outside of Markkanen is just average or potentially below average. This hints on just how important it is for them to move the ball and get effective two-point shots.

The Suns were expected to have a down year, and it appears that is what will probably happen. Injuries have been an early season issue with the team missing both Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green. Brooks will add a bit of offense, but he is a pest and a defensive presence. Green is purely scoring, but honestly, I don’t love his game. I think he needs to learn how to play without the ball. The biggest addition to his game needs to be consistency. I’m not sure how much of it was him and how much was Ime Udoka last year, but Green couldn’t get consistent minutes or scoring. The biggest issue for the Suns tonight is going to be facing the height of the Jazz. Markkanen is taller than almost anyone on the Suns. However, the Suns have the advantage of playing at home, something that helps the role players quite a bit. Being that the Suns are a team full of role players, that gives them a bit of an edge here.

This is also an NBA Cup game. If you haven’t followed the NBA Cup, it is actually a great addition to the early season. Teams tend to try harder, games are more interesting, and since points matter, they all play almost the entire 48 minutes. In the first matchup between the two of these teams, they went into overtime with the Jazz winning by four. The teams combined for 272 points. Tonight’s line is at 235.5. I’d lean to the over, but I’m backing the Suns here. They are 1-4 for the season with their lone win coming against the Kings on opening night. Their past two losses have been by four and one point. I think this is a game they look at with getting revenge, and closing out the win. Back the Suns to get a victory in this one. I think they win the first half of this game as well, and that’s probably an even better look than the full game. I’ll play both, but I suggest you play just one.

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