Bill Yin breaks down his prediction and pick for Thursday’s game between the Portland Trail Blazers and Utah Jazz.

The 12-44 Jazz will host the 26-29 Trail Blazers tonight.

The Trail Blazers are 8.5-point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook with the total for this game set at 238.5 points.

Trail Blazers vs. Jazz prediction, preview

The Jazz’s blockbuster move for Jaren Jackson Jr. at the trade deadline sparked some discussion about their plans for next season, and whether this would be the end of their long tank. Today, Chris Haynes reported that Jaren Jackson Jr. would undergo left knee surgery and likely miss the remainder of the season. The Jazz weren’t playing for much anyway. Their aforementioned 12-44 record places them nowhere near the play in spot in the West. They’ll wait until next season to become fully healthy and reintegrate Walker Kessler and Jackson Jr. back into the lineup. But there are encouraging signs. They’ve seen tremendous growth from Keyonte George, who’s putting up 23.8 PPG and setting career highs in PPG, RPG, APG, SPG, BPG, FG%, 3P%, 2P%, FT%, and FTA. It wouldn’t be crazy to see an All-Star appearance from George next season. His evolution from a career- 39.1% shooter into what he is this season is remarkable, and it seems like the Jazz are pleased enough with what they’ve observed to pluck Jackson Jr. from Memphis and contend next season.

The Blazers have a rising star of their own. Deni Avdija is headed for his first All-Star game this season and has put up some huge numbers himself, with 25.2 PPG, 7.2 RPG, and 6.6 APG. The Blazers are fighting for a play in spot but will need to lock in, as they’ve gone just 3-7 in their last 10 games and have recently dropped a game to the Washington Wizards. We have to wonder what their plans are for next season when they get Damian Lillard back, but it’s tough to envision them not prioritizing Avdija as their featured weapon. They’ll get a nice and easy matchup tonight against the Jazz and should have no problem putting up big numbers against the Jazz’s league-worst defense.

Trail Blazers vs. Jazz pick, best bet

Best Bet: Deni Avdija 30+ Points (+242)

Avdija hasn’t put up any huge performances lately, with the largest being a 26 point game in a win against the 76ers on February 9th. But tonight’s an excellent opportunity to get back on track, and I think we’re getting some nice odds to expect a big game from Deni, as long as the Jazz keep this one reasonably close.