NBA 2022/23, on Wednesday, 12/14/2022
Dear NBA fans: “There’s a new sheriff in town” – and it’s the New Orlenas Pelicans, visiting the Utah Jazz, who are keen to extend their lead at the top of the Western Conference. There is no doubt about that point!
And in my Jazz Pelicans tip, I have no objections as to why this eighth win in a row shouldn’t work out. Because when it comes to nerves of steel, offence and defence, there is no team that is currently in a better position than the Pels.
Let’s not kid ourselves: The Jazz’s star will have to fall sooner or later, the bloodletting during the offseason was simply too great for that. But for now, they’re still more or less keeping their heads above water.
However, there is no denying that the trend is downward, as they have only won three of their last eleven NBA games. But they did so against the Warriors, Pacers and Clippers, all of whom, as we know, are play-off candidates.
Utah thus remains a bit unpredictable, but there are increasing signs that it could be against a team like New Orleans that they suffer their next defeat. Because the Pels’ style of play simply doesn’t suit them.
The Jazz are characterised on the one hand by an excellent offence, but on the other hand also by a weak defence. In addition, the franchise from Salt Lake City usually keeps up well, but gives away an above-average number of games in the final quarter.
For example, the Jazz have lost each of their last five NBA games in which the gap to the opponent was less than five points in the last five minutes. In this respect, the Pels are clearly superior to them.
In fact, the Pelicans are now so good that I have long since stopped ruling out a deep play-off push! The official NBA stats also say that there is no more complete team: 5th in Off-Rating and 3rd in Def-Rating – insane!
On the floor, the Pels are currently offering their supporters really good basketball. The recent doubleheader win over the Suns also shows that the mentality that has taken hold in New Orleans this year is a completely different one.
In fact, the Pels now have that slightly arrogant confidence that they have lacked in recent years! Want an example? A few days ago against Phoenix, Zion Williamson sank a completely unnecessary dunk in the closing seconds of a game he had already won.
This was followed by some wild scenes in which the Suns, feeling humiliated, gave free rein to their indignation. But instead of getting their revenge on the floor the following night, the southerners managed to win again – this time in overtime!
In the past, New Orleans would have been almost guaranteed to lose such a game against the Suns in overtime, but this year there is a breath of fresh air in Salt Lake City – especially since Zion Williamson is finally permanently healthy and can thus call on his full performance potential.
The No. 1 pick scored 35 points against Phoenix, was “Man of the Match” and is anyway the driving force in the game of the Western Conference leaders, against whom no team seems to have an antidote – especially not the Jazz.
After the departure of Rudy Gobert, Utah lacks a player who can compete with the Pels’ superstar at the basket. Jarred Vanderbilt is not an equal replacement for the now departed Frenchman.
However, even if Williamson were to be doubled tonight, it would open up good throwing opportunities for his teammates. This is so dangerous from the home side’s point of view precisely because the Pels have another excellent scorer in their ranks in CJ Mccollum.
Since Utah doesn’t have a good defence anyway, I don’t think they will be able to withstand this multiple burden for long.
Because having to cover two or more dangerous players at the same time is a problem for the franchise from Salt Lake City.
In the meantime, the impression has prevailed on the markets that the Pels belong to the favourites.
Indeed, sports betting providers worldwide are trading a win for the visitors at around 1.72, which is lower than the 2.23 offered in the event of a defeat, on the other hand.
By the way: The controversial World Cup in Qatar is just entering the home stretch. The match for third place is still on the agenda, as well as the final itself, of course.
Summary: A really great game awaits us! But while the Jazz have steadily declined in recent weeks, the Pels have just now been able to pull off perhaps their two best performances of the season.
Because in the doubleheader against the Suns, the Pelicans delivered two extremely heated battles and displayed all the qualities that characterise a winning team. The lead in the standings is therefore only the logical consequence of their recent outstanding performances.
Williamson is playing as well as ever at the moment and McCollum is also unstoppable. As a result, I think the home side are one of the many teams that can’t keep up with the pace of the southerners – especially in the final period.
My Jazz Pelicans tip: The top of the table wins again!
