The Atlanta Hawks will host the Jazz on Thursday following their huge trade deadline addition of forward Jaren Jackson Jr.
This marks the second meeting between these two teams, with Atlanta winning, 132-122, in November.
A bright spot for the Hawks all season has been the impressive play of recently named NBA All-Star Jalen Johnson.
The Duke product is averaging career numbers across the board and lead the Eastern Conference with nine triple-doubles entering Wednesday.
That number is also a Hawks franchise record.
With Trae Young now on the Wizards, Johnson has become Atlanta’s top option, with the offense running firmly through the 6-foot-8 forward.
Johnson excels by scoring the ball in transition and has the playmaking ability to find spot-up shooters CJ McCollum and Nickel Alexander-Walker.
Quin Snyder’s rotation of bigs is dealing with uncertainty, with Onyeka Okongwu a game-time decision to play and Kristaps Porzingis being traded to the Warriors late Wednesday night.
This opens the floor for Johnson to crash the boards.
I’m targeting Johnson to secure his 10th triple-double of the year in this game, as he dominated the Jazz to the tune of 31 points, 18 rebounds and 14 assists in the first matchup.
Danny Ainge might’ve solidified a building block for Utah’s future with the Jackson Jr. deal, but the Jazz only had seven healthy players in Tuesday’s 131-122 win over the Pacers.
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Lauri Markkanen continues to shine, but with Keyonte George on the mend and limited depth due to the recent trade, the Hawks will have a clear advantage.
Utah also ranks dead last in defensive rating (122.0), and Johnson is coming off back-to-back triple-double outings.
Bet on him making it three in a row.
The PLAY: Jalen Johnson to record a triple double (+260, FanDuel Sportsbook)
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Mike Turay is a sports journalist and editor who closely follows the NBA, NFL, college sports and UFC. He has demonstrated expertise in both NBA and NFL player prop bets for nearly three years. Mike is also highly knowledgeable about the sportsbook offer landscape, frequently trying and reviewing the latest apps and sites.
