Sports Then and Now

Steph Curry scored 22 points to lead a balanced Golden State offense in a game one win.

Game 1 between the Utah Jazz and the Golden State Warriors was exactly what everybody expected. Golden State got off to a hot start at Oracle Arena and cruised to a 106-94 victory.

The Warriors now have a perfect 5-0 record in the playoffs and don’t look like they’ll be challenged in this semifinals series.

But then again, Utah has some issues that prevented them from being as competitive as they would’ve liked. Let’s discuss what these issues were, along with if you should consider betting on the Jazz.

Utah vs Golden State Game 2 Betting Odds Released by BetOnline.ag

Point Spread: Utah +12.5 (-110); Golden State -12.5(-110)
Money line: Utah +700; Golden State -1400
Totals: 204 (over -115) (under -105)
Gametime: 10:30pm ET on Thursday, May 4

Golden State Warriors Game 2 Preview

As mentioned in the introduction, Golden State didn’t have much of a problem with Utah. They were up by 12 early in the second quarter and never looked threatened from there on out.

All five Warrior starters scored in double digits, with Steph Curry leading the way with 22 points. Five bench players also scored for Golden State too.

Perhaps the most-telling sign of Golden State’s easy victory is that they got 32 assists. Utah had trouble staying with Curry, which led to plenty of defensive breakdowns and easy baskets for the Warriors.

Golden State doesn’t need to change much heading into Game 2 of this series. Their defense was strong, they made shots, and they did a good job of dealing with Utah’s slowed-down pace. The Warriors will look to replicate their success in an effort to go up 2-0.

Utah Jazz Game 2 Preview

The Utah Jazz play an interesting style that involves taking up most of the shot clock and limiting possessions. This slow pace seems tailor-made to stop Golden State, a team that loves to get out and run.

But even their unique style couldn’t help the Jazz because they never made this into much of a contest. However, Utah has some good excuses that prevented them from playing to their fullest potential.

For starters, they played Golden State just 36 hours after finishing off the L.A. Clippers in a seventh-and-deciding game.

Another problem is that Rudy Gobert still isn’t 100% after an injury he suffered against L.A. The Defensive Player of the Year candidate is crucial to protecting the rim. And he needs to be healthy in order for this team to compete.

Gordon Hayward added one more problem with his 4-for-15 shooting performance. Hayward has been the man for Utah all along, so it’s doubtful that he shoots this poorly again.

In the end, this is a matter of rest for the Jazz – or at least catching up to the 8 days that Golden State had off after beating Portland. And the good news is that they kept the game closer than people expected, despite everything going against them.

Betting Strategy for Jazz vs Warriors

After dismantling the Portland Trail Blazers, Golden State entered Game 1 as a -13 favorite over Utah. And they failed to cover this, despite the Jazz being tired.

Given that Utah only figures to get better from here on out, we like them to cover -12.5 in Game 2. After all, Gobert will be healthier, and the team should come out with more energy than they had after beating the Clippers.