OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER VS. UTAH JAZZ – ODDS & PREDICTIONS FOR JANUARY 18, 2024 

Greetings, basketball fans. Welcome back to our NBA coverage here at Latest Basketball News. One of the games on tap from Thursday’s slate features the Oklahoma City Thunder (27-13 SU, 26-13-1 ATS) taking on the Utah Jazz (22-20 SU, 26-16 ATS).

Both teams are hoping to snap multi-game losing streaks when they face each other on Thursday night.

Here is a look at which team has the edge going into this matchup and why.

Tipoff

• When: Thursday, January 18, 2024
  
• Time: 9:00 PM ET
  
• Where: Delta Center
  
• Location: Salt Lake City, UT
  
• TV: KJZZ and BSOK

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Utah Jazz Odds (Via DraftKings)

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Utah Jazz – Regular Season Stats & Betting Trends

Can The Thunder Snap Their Three-Game Losing Skid Against Surging Jazz?

Oklahoma City Thunder Season Stats:

• Scoring Offense: 121.9 PPG – 3RD      
• Offensive Efficiency: 121.1 points per 100 possessions – 2ND      
• Scoring Defense: 113.7 PPG – 14TH       
• Defensive Efficiency: 112.9 points per 100 possessions – 7TH  

The Thunder have the second-best record in the Western Conference and have gone 6-4 in their last 10 games. However, they come into this matchup amid a two-game losing streak. This includes a 128-117 loss to the LA Clippers on Tuesday night.

Jalen Williams set the tone for OKC, scoring a team-high 25 points on 10-for-14 shooting from the field and 2-for-3 from beyond the arc. He also handed out seven assists and grabbed three rebounds. 

Shai Gilgeous Alexander added 19 points and four assists, while Luguentz Dort also scored 19 points. 

“We gave ourselves every chance to win that game and they outplayed us in the final 3 1/2 minutes,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said, via ESPN. “That’s how you learn about ourselves. It is exciting to know that we are drawing teams’ best punches out of them.”

Following a pair of losses to both Los Angeles teams, it does not get any easier for OKC as they face a Jazz team that is playing with a ton of confidence. 

Will Utah’s Hot Streak Continue Against The Thunder?

Utah Jazz Season Stats:

• Scoring Offense: 116.8 PPG – 12TH   
• Offensive Efficiency: 115.9 points per 100 possessions – 15TH        
• Scoring Defense: 118.2 PPG – 22ND      
• Defensive Efficiency: 117.2 points per 100 possessions – 20TH    

On the other side of this matchup, we have a Utah Jazz team that is heating up. Following a 7-16 start, Utah has gone 15-4. Additionally, the Jazz have posted nine wins in the last 10 decisions, and they come into this Western Conference tilt riding the wave of a six-game winning streak. 

This includes a 132-125 win over the Indiana Pacers on Monday night. Lauri Markkanen paced Utah’s scoring attack with 32 points along with eight boards and three assists. 

“He is playing really, really physically when he has the ball. We have had a couple of games where he’s been able to play against the switch and use his physicality and size against smaller players,” Utah coach Will Hardy said about Markkanen.  

Collin Sexton added 30 points and five assists for a Jazz team that shot 55.6 percent from the field while converting 11 of its 25 attempts from 3-point range (44 percent).

Markkanen has scored 30-plus points three times in January while attempting at least 10 free throws in three of his previous four outings. Both he and the Jazz are hoping that trend will continue against a Thunder team going in the wrong direction in their past two outings. 

Now that we have set the table for this matchup, let us closely examine the all-important betting trends for both sides.

The Picks

The Spread

The Thunder opened as a three-point favorite. At the time of this writing, the line has not changed. 

Here is a look at how both teams have fared against the spread this season. 

• The Thunder are a perfect 5-0 ATS in their last five matchups against Utah.
• Oklahoma City is 5-0 ATS in its last five games against Northwest division opponents.
• The Jazz are 6-0 ATS in their last six outings.
• Utah is 5-0 ATS in their last five matchups against Western Conference opponents. 
• The Jazz are 4-1 ATS in their last five contests against teams in the Northwest division. 

Based on these trends, this one is too close to call. But since Utah is 16-4 ATS at home while OKC is 10-8-1 ATS on the road, going with the home team to cover the spread is the best option.

Prediction: Utah Jazz (+3)

Over/Under

The projected over/under total for this matchup opened at 246.5 points. At this time of this writing, the line has not moved (via pre-game.com). Here is why going with the “UNDER” is the smart choice. 

• The total has gone UNDER nine times in the Thunder’s last 10 road games against Utah.

• The UNDER total has hit four times In Utah’s last six Thursday games.

• In Indiana’s last eight games against Western Conference opponents, the UNDER total has won seven times.

• During the season, the two games are averaging 239 points per outing.

• The two teams have failed to exceed the projected scoring total for this matchup four times in the last five head-to-head meetings. 

Prediction: UNDER 246.5 points

Player Prop Bets

The key player to watch for the road team is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He currently has 125 odds of scoring more than 31.5 points and -105 odds of finishing with less than 31.5 points (Via DraftKings). Here is a closer look at how his numbers compare to the projected points total for this matchup. 

• On the season, SGA is averaging 31.0 points per outing. 

• In 19 road games, he is averaging 30.8 PPG.
• Gilgeous-Alexander has played against Western Conference teams 24 times this season. In those contests, he is averaging 29.5 points per outing.
• During January, Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 30.4 PPG. 
• SGA has played against teams in the Northwest Division eight times this season. In those games, he has averaged 28.4 PPG.
• Over his last 10 outings, he is averaging 29.8 points per outing, exceeding the projected points total for this matchup five times during that stretch. 

Going with the “under” for Gilgeous-Alexander is the smart play here based on the above trends.

Prediction: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander UNDER 31.5 points

The player to watch for the home team is Lauri Markkanen. He currently has -115 odds of scoring more than 25.5 points and -115 odds of scoring less than 25.5 points (Via PointsBet). Let us see how his numbers stack up against the projected points total for this matchup. 

• On the season, Markkanen is averaging 24.0 points per outing. 
• In 16 home games, he is averaging 24.2 PPG.
• Markkanen has played against Western Conference teams 18 times this season. In those contests, he is averaging 23.7 points per outing.
• During January, Markkanen is averaging 25.3 PPG. 
• Markkanen has played against teams in the Northwest Division five times this season. In those games, he has averaged 24.0 PPG.
• Over his last 10 outings, he is averaging 24 points per outing, exceeding the projected points total for this matchup four times during that stretch. 

Given the above trends, going with the “under” for Markkanen is the smart play here.

Prediction: Lauri Markkanen UNDER 25.5 points

James’s Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Utah Jazz Picks

• The Spread: Utah Jazz (+3)
  
• Over/Under: Under 246.5 points
• Player Prop Bet #1: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Under 31.5 points
• Player Prop Bet #2: Lauri Markkanen Under 25.5 points