NBA basketball betting odds have the Nuggets listed as 6.5-point favorites in this one.

Denver's success has led to big expectations for 2009-10. However, while several of the West’s contenders were making deals over the summer the Nuggets chose to stick with what they believe worked in 2008-09.

Denver is counting on another big season from Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups. Billups will have had a full offseason to work with the Nuggets after joining them last November in a trade from Detroit.

Though Deron Williams and Mehmet Okur appear healthy, the Jazz are already being forced to deal with injuries again. Ronnie Brewer missed the team’s preseason finale with back spasms, and his status for the opener is uncertain.

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So far it's been a rerun of last year's second-round series, when the Lakers won the first two games and forced Utah to hold on at home.

The Jazz are in the same predicament almost a year later, needing home-court advantage and any other edge they can find just to stay in the series.

Utah was still uncertain Wednesday about Mehmet Okur, who missed the first two games with a strained right hamstring and will be a game-time decision.

Okur is Utah's top three-point threat and was second on the team in scoring in rebounds. L.A. had the best road record in the league, going 29-12 during the regular season. Be sure to bet on the game with your NBA basketball odds in the Bodog Sportsbook.

The Jazz will be looking to end its 10-game losing skid at Staples Center and give their backers something to cheer about in the process. The good news for Utah is they controlled the second half, outscoring the Lakers 60-51 although the Jazz never got closer than nine points twice.

Utah was 29-of-35 from the line, and the repeated trips slowed the game down. Utah also outrebounded the Lakers by eight, and held a 20-7 edge on the offensive boards.

The Jazz will have to play a perfect 48 minutes if they want to upset the Lakers and head home with a split. Get your NBA basketball lines with Bodog today.

Kobe Bryant scored 16 points in that game after averaging 38.5 in the first two meetings. The Jazz were without Carlos Boozer in their first loss, while the Lakers were missing Andrew Bynum for their loss at Utah. Mehmet Okur averaged 21.5 points and 10.5 rebounds in two games against the Lakers and the Jazz will need its center’s outside shooting and rebounding for any shot at the upset. Get all your NBA Basketball odds in the Bodog Sportsbook today.

Neither will Utah. The Jazz crushed the L.A. Clippers 106-85 on Monday night as 12.5-point favorites, keeping hope alive in the quest to move up out of that No. 8 spot in the Western standings and a first-round matchup with the Lakers. The Utah win snapped a 1-6 SU and ATS slump; Carlos Boozer also had a strong game with 20 points and 13 rebounds, his second 20-10 performance in a row. Get all your NBA basketball picks in the Bodog Sportsbook before the big game.

The Jazz's 31-6 home record is the second best in the conference behind only the Los Angeles Lakers, and they haven't lost at home since a 106-100 defeat to San Antonio on Jan. 27.

The Knicks have dropped seven of their last eight games overall to fall out of contention for the playoffs in the East, and they have just one road win over a winning team all season.

New York has won seven of nine against Utah, although it has lost its last two in Salt Lake City. Be sure to bet on the game with your NBA basketball odds in the Bodog Sportsbook.

Still, Phoenix hasn't given up hope of making the postseason. The Suns have averaged 126.4 points while winning their last five games by an average of 16.0 points.

Phoenix plays six of its next eight games against teams ahead of them in the West, including a critical meeting with the Mavericks in Dallas.

Starting that stretch out by hosting Utah shouldn't be too intimidating. The Jazz are only 14-20 on the road.

However, the Jazz have won three of their past five visits to Phoenix and are 10-1 ATS in the last 11 meetings in Phoenix. NBA basketball picks? We've got 'em!

But now the Jazz can complete a remarkable turnaround with a victory Friday over the Nuggets. Riding a nine-game winning streak, the Jazz could own either a half-game lead on Denver or close to within a half-game depending on the Nuggets’ game against Portland.

A victory also would give the Jazz no worse than a split of the season series against Denver, which could be important for tiebreaking purposes should both teams finish tied.

The Jazz have now gone nearly a full month since their last loss and are the league’s hottest team. They have beaten the L.A. Lakers, Boston, New Orleans, Atlanta and Houston as part of their current nine-game streak (7-2 ATS). Get your bets in order before tonight's game with Bodog's NBA betting.

While the Lakers seem to be dealing with the loss of Andrew Bynum, injuries could be what keeps Utah out of the playoffs for the first time in three years.

Carlos Boozer and Andrei Kirilenko have each missed significant playing time, causing the Jazz to fall to ninth place in the West.

They will need Deron Williams to continue to pick up the slack against the Lakers. Williams had 10 points and 12 assists in the teams’ first  meeting of the season.

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The Lakers lead the league in scoring, averaging 107.3 points. Utah, meanwhile, has allowed 106.7 points per game while losing its last three road games. Kobe Bryant has put up big numbers plenty of times in his career against the Jazz. In last season's playoffs versus Utah he averaged 33.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 7.2 assists.

Paul Millsap could return after missing three games with a sprained knee ligament suffered in Utah's 94-86 loss to Milwaukee on Dec. 23. Get your NBA odds with Bodog today.