NBA Monday betting preview: Jazz deserve more respect vs. Warriors
As we head into the final week of the NBA regular season, there's only a handful of opportunities left to fade some of the league's worst teams. Here are our favorite bets against the spread for Monday's condensed slate:
Pacers (-8, 230.5) @ Cavaliers
I'm not betting this line for the Pacers, of whom I've been skeptical for the better part of the season. No, this is mostly a fade of the Cavaliers, who seemingly couldn't win a game if their lives depended on it.
Sunday's 27-point loss to the Mavericks marked Cleveland's 10th straight ATS loss and sixth consecutive defeat by at least 15 points. In fact, the Cavaliers have lost 13 against the number over the last 14 games, with eight double-digit losses in that span.
The last time the Pacers were road favorites by at least eight points was on May 1, when they beat the Thunder by 57 points. You've been warned, Cleveland.
Pick: Pacers -8
Jazz (-2, 225.5) @ Warriors
If you dismissed the Jazz after they lost Donovan Mitchell to an ankle injury, you might want to check back in. Utah has won five straight (3-2 ATS) and has two wins by at least 30 points in its last seven contests. It also owns the NBA's third-best net rating (plus-12.7) over that stretch.
The Warriors (plus-12.5) rank fourth in that span and have covered four of five, but three of those wins came against the lowly Rockets and Thunder (twice). Golden State is still 10-15 ATS this season against teams with better records, and it's 15-23 ATS as an underdog.
This line would favor the Jazz more if not for the continued absence of Mike Conley (hamstring). Utah is 13-6 ATS this year without him, though, and it has more than enough talent to cover a meager spread - especially with a narrow hold on home-court advantage in the Western Conference hanging in the balance.
Pick: Jazz -2
C Jackson Cowart is a betting writer for theScore. He's an award-winning journalist with stops at The Charlotte Observer, The San Diego Union-Tribune, The Times Herald-Record, and BetChicago. He's also a proud graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, and his love of sweet tea is rivaled only by that of a juicy prop bet. Find him on Twitter @CJacksonCowart.