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Utah Jazz Predictions: 2013 NBA Future Lines & Gambling Analysis

Utah Jazz Season Preview – NBA Predictions

Utah has been a decent team for the last few years, but they haven’t been a real contender since the days of Stockton and Malone. Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap were the faces of the franchise last season, but neither of them is on this year’s roster. Utah is rebuilding, but they aren’t necessarily going to be short on talent either.

Utah Jazz
Western Conference
2012-2013 Record: 43-39
Odds to win Title: 150/1 from Bovada
Odds to win Conference: 75/1 from Bovada
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Utah Jazz

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Key Losses

The two biggest losses were Jefferson and Millsap. These guys were the heart and soul of the team last year. It does make sense for Utah to move on since they have Enes Kanter and Derrick Favors who they want to see on the court.

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The problem with Utah’s move during the offseason was they got nothing back from Millsap or Jefferson. Both of them are guys who the Jazz could have gotten something pretty good out of if they had made a deal by the trade deadline last year. Mo Williams and Randy Foye were also let go from the backcourt.

Top Newcomers

Trey Burke was the team’s top draft choice out of Michigan, and there were plenty of people who thought Burke was the nation’s best player last year. Burke broke his index finger a few days ago, so he will miss the beginning of the season. Utah knows they need to let him take care of this injury, and he won’t be out on the court until this injury is fully healed. Richard Jefferson, Andris Biedrins, and Brandon Rush were all signed during the offseason. None of them are huge signings, but they are all capable of contributing right away.

Top Players

Enes Kanter- Kanter didn’t get a ton of playing time last year, but he showed flashes of brilliance in his time on the court. His soft hands and good moves in the low-post make him very dangerous.

Gordon Hayward- With Utah’s youth movement in full swing, Hayward has become a “veteran” member of this team. Hayward was raw when he came out of Butler, but he progressed in a big way last year. [ad-6571516]

Trey Burke- Burke hasn’t played a game in the NBA yet, but I think he’ll quickly become the most important player on this team. His ball skills are tremendous, and he can score in bunches.

Strengths

Utah now has a great collection of young talent all over this roster. There was a bit of a gap at the point guard spot, but Burke has filled that. This is a team that needs to stick together over the next few years as these guys all mature. It is setting up to a very nice road ahead for Utah.

Weaknesses

The single biggest weakness for this team is obviously lack of experience. Utah doesn’t have anyone on their team who has been a leader on a team before, and they are going to go through some rough patches and growing pains. They’ll miss Jefferson and Millsap, especially early on in the season.

Prediction:

Utah is on their way down, but the drop should be very brief. The Jazz aren’t likely to be able to make the playoffs in the tough Western Conference this season. Watch out though, because this is a team that could make a lot of noise in the next few years!

By Kyle Hunter

Kyle Hunter sports picks – A degree in finance and a great ability to follow important trends and statistics set him apart from the rest. Totals are Kyle's specialty, so look for a lot of totals picks from NBA, NCAAF, & the NFL. Check out his plays today.