Utah Jazz vs. Cleveland Cavaliers December 19 Betting Preview

The Cleveland Cavaliers (20-11) edged out the Dallas Mavericks in overtime their last time out, maintaining their slim lead for the third seed in the Eastern Conference.

The Utah Jazz (17-15) lost to a depleted Milwaukee Bucks team their last time out but have otherwise put the league on notice with their fast start to the season.

Cleveland Cavaliers Betting Preview

The Cavs have won three straight games, as they’re maintaining their slim lead for the third seed in the East while also inching closer towards the first seed in the conference.

Donovan Mitchell will be facing off against his former team for the first time, as he’ll surely be motivated to prove that they made a mistake in trading him even though he may or may not have wanted to stay there any longer.

Mitchell has elevated the Cavs from just a play-in team to legitimate championship contenders, as he can create his own shot at will and take over games down the stretch to lead his team to victory.

Mitchell did just that in his last game, finishing with 25 points. Darius Garland added 18 points, 12 assists and four steals. 

Jarrett Allen contributed eight points and 15 rebounds. Evan Mobley had 17 points, eight rebounds and four assists.

Utah Jazz Betting Preview

The Jazz acquired some solid pieces from the Cavs in the Donovan Mitchell trade, with the most important one being Lauri Markkanen.

Markkanen couldn’t quite find his niche in Cleveland, but in Utah, he’s looking poised to make his first All-Star Game while scoring well over 20 points per game and providing his team with some much needed floor spacing.

The Jazz as an overall group are unselfish and will move the ball around to find the open shooters and look to play defense together as a unit.

The Jazz may not be the team that is expected to be in the mix for the Finals like they were with Mitchell, but they will play each and every possession hard and make games tough to win with all the grit they have across their roster.

They are a classic case of a team that will outwork talent if talent doesn’t work hard enough.

The Jazz didn’t quite live up to that saying in their last game though, as they were beaten by a Milwaukee Bucks team without Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton.

Odds

The Cavs are favored by a -6 spread, as they look to improve on their outstanding home record while keeping pace with the best in their conference.

Expect Donovan Mitchell to have a statement game and for the rest of the Cavs to really lock in and prove that they won this trade by winning this game and covering the spread.