Houston is a top tier favorite with the NBA playoffs betting odds. And with plenty of good reason. Top seed in the Western Conference was earned by way of a 65-17 regular season record. Only Golden State had a better offense. Rockets captain James Harden led the NBA in scoring. Defensively Houston showed marked improvement. First round dominance over Minnesota added to expectations. Yet the Utah Jazz have proved to be a stubborn second round opponent. Offense is not going to be a strength for the Jazz. But Utah more than makes up for that with defense.
Utah Jazz vs. Houston Rockets Game 5
Date and Time: Tuesday, May 8, 2018, 8 p.m. Eastern
Location: Toyota Center, Houston, Texas
NBA Betting Online Odds at SBG:
| Team | Spread | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jazz | +12 (-110) | 207½ (-110) |  |
| Rockets | -12 (-110) | 207½ (-110) | |
| |||
Jazz vs. Rockets TV Coverage: TNT
James Harden has maintained his dominant excellence in the playoffs. He is a top tier NBA playoffs betting odds asset. He could well rival LeBron James or Stephen Curry for individual impact. Harden led the NBA with 30 points per game in the regular season. Lost in all of that was his nine assists per outing. Arriving in Houston in 2012 he has remade the franchise. Six consecutive All Star Game appearances add to Harden’s lore. Oklahoma City was where he began his pro career. He was suffocated there. At H-Town Harden was unleashed. He has just hit his prime.
Helping out Harden has been fellow guard Chris Paul. He is averaging 19 points per outing in post season. Center Clint Capela is keeping the glass clean. Capela is dominating with 13 rebounds per game. Also impressive is his 16 points per outing. Capela and Paul give the Rockets the depth that the Jazz sorely lack. Head coach Mike D’Antoni has quietly made Houston’s defense an asset. Becoming a complete team was their greatest accomplishment.
Utah has enjoyed a remarkable turnaround under coach Quin Snyder. Defense has been their ticket to the playoffs. The Jazz lack a Harden type star. But Snyder has created enough scoring to get by. Guard Donovan Mitchell has emerged as the top offensive threat. Mitchell is averaging 24 points per game in the playoffs. Problematic is secondary scoring. Joe Ingles and Ricky Rubio average 14 points per playoff matchup. That is not going to be enough to stay with Houston. Most importantly, Snyder has established his NBA coaching cred. He and his team will be taken seriously going forward.
Houston has dominated their sportsbook online series with Utah. In the last seven meetings they got the money six times. Eight of the last 12 in this series have gone over the total. Toyota Center has seen Houston cover eight of the last 11 against the Jazz. Seven of the last nine between these teams at Houston went over the number.
Matchup to Watch
Reality should set in for Utah. They are nowhere near being chalks with the
NBA Finals Betting Odds. Matchup wise against the Rockets they are lacking firepower. In this playoff series the Jazz will wear down over time.
Jazz vs. Rockets NBA games Betting Odds Picks
Houston realizes the opportunity here. Look for them to put the clamps on.
NBA Betting Online Pick: Houston Rockets
NBA Betting Online Score Prediction: Rockets 120, Jazz 101
Get NBA Playoff news and highlights!