Utah at San Antonio

Do you think the young Utah Jazz will be able to handle Game 1 of a road playoff spot? They don't do well in the role of dog. The Jazz is 3-9 ATS in their last 12 playoff games as an underdog of +5.0 to +10.5. You also need depth to hang with the deep Spurs and Utah doesn't have it. Injuries eliminated wing players Josh Howard, C.J. Miles and Raja Bell from Coach Tyrone Corbin's rotation down the stretch. Bell is back, but is battling a knee injury. They will try and slow the pace down, but face a Spurs team that is on a sizzling 36-12-4 ATS run, as well as 20-5-1 ATS in their last 26 home games. Tim Duncan has been rested and is healthy along with star guard Manu Ginobili, who hasn’t been fully healthy and available for the duration of a playoff run since 2007 (the last time the Spurs won a championship) - until now. The Spurs are also 33-15-5 ATS in their last 53 games as a favorite, and when these teams meet the Jazz is 3-11-1 ATS in the last 15 meetings in San Antonio. Play the San Antonio Spurs in Game 1. This will be a defensive game. Playoffs basketball means much more intense defense than the regular season with so much at stake. Utah's depth is a concern and they would prefer a slower style, and the Spurs have the power frontcourt behind rested Tim Duncan to handle Utah's only strength - some young power in the low post. Thanks to a lockout-shortened season and Gregg Popovich’s obsessive-compulsive management of minutes, Duncan is looking younger than his 36 years (17.1 points, 9.4 rebounds since the break). Utah just lost here by 10 points three weeks ago, giving up 114 points, so they will not try and run with the Spurs. Play the Spurs and UNDER the total.