Free NBA Pick: Utah Jazz +1.0 (-110)
Mon Apr 21 ‘08 9:30p - Click Here for NBA Odds
The Utah Jazz showed their superiority over the Yao-less Houston Rockets by winning here in Houston in Game 1, and even with the Rockets in desperation mode, we look for Utah to take a stranglehold of this series tonight.

The major knock against the Jazz coming into this series was that they were 17-24 straight up on the road during the regular season. However, they did close out the season well, going 7-1 against the spread in the last eight regular season games with the only loss coming in the season finale, in a game where a “tank” may have been in order to avoid the San Antonio Spurs in the first round.

This streak included an outright road win at New Orleans and a road cover at Dallas, so they were certainly playing much better away from home prior to winning Game 1 here. Perhaps most importantly, the Jazz are now 8-1 ATS in the last nine head-to-head meetings with the Rockets, including a perfect 4-0 ATS in Houston!

Now the Rockets have underperformed greatly in the playoffs in recent years, and it is commonly known that their current best player with Yao Ming out, Tracy McGrady, has never advanced past the first round of the playoffs. Also, Yao is not the only starter out for the Rockets now, as Rafer Alston will sit out again in Game 2 with a strained hamstring.

The absences of both Alston and Ming were felt in Game 1, as Alston’s replacement Bobby Jackson hit on just three field goals in 15 attempts, and the Jazz scored 50 points in the paint that Yao normally occupies. Don’t expect too much to change in Game 2 as the Jazz build a 2-0 series lead. Coutesy of LT Profits

NBA Free Pick: Jazz +1 - Click Here for More Free NBA Basketball Picks