Northwest Division Betting Update for January 2021 – Are the Jazz the Team to Beat?

Now that nearly four week weeks have passed in the 2020-21 campaign, NBA divisions are starting to take shape. One of the tightest and most interesting races is the Western Conference’s Northwest.

Denver began the year as the odds-on favorite, but a lethargic start out of the gates has them staring up in the standings. Utah’s the real deal on both ends of the floor, while Neil Olshey has put together a championship-caliber roster in Portland. Even the Thunder are playing a lot better than most had anticipated.

As for betting on the Northwest Division, you’ll need to decide between one of the four aforementioned teams. The T-Wolves still have a long way to go.

According to the top NBA betting sites, the Jazz are slightly favored over the Nuggets for the time being. Portland is right there with a fighting chance. The Timberwolves are straight-up dark horses.

The most glaring discrepancy on the board is, without a doubt, the Thunder’s price tag at BetOnline.

Apparently, the oddsmakers at BetOnline don’t think much of OKC.

Those of you expecting Portland to eventually charge up the standings, the time to pull the trigger is now. Nabbing the Trail Blazers at +325 qualifies as a substantial discount given the current landscape of this division.

Now for three players in the NW Division who deserve some recognition.

Currently, atop the NBA 6^th Man of the Year odds, Jordan Clarkson has been balling out in Utah. Despite logging fewer than 25 minutes per game, the 6’4” guard has been Utah’s most steady contributor thus far.

Leading that Jazz with a sparkling 21.61 PER, Jordan is averaging more than 17 points and shooting close to 44% from outside the arc.

Throw in a bit of a resurgence from Mike Conley, and there’s no reason that Utah can’t remain atop the Northwest Division betting odds. Remember, Rudy Gobert is a two-time DPOY winner, and Donovan Mitchell is one of the most electric scorers in basketball.

Will Nikola Jokic average a triple-double?

What may have sounded like a far-fetched question before the season began is now a legitimate debate.

Perhaps most impressive is the fact that a 7’0” center is leading the NBA in assists per game. The Joker is shooting over 41% from downtown, averaging 1.8 steals per game, and nobody else in the league has a PER (Player Efficiency Rating) over 30.

Nikola’s PER clocks in at 31.10.

To share the same record with the great Oscar Robertson must be a very good feeling for Nikola Jokic ? pic.twitter.com/WtnDlt61U2

— Nuggets Nation (@NuggetsNationCP) January 11, 2021

If you happen to be betting on the NBA MVP, I recommend getting some money down on Jokic.

Dame Lillard is the showstopper in Portland. He’s their best shooter and their most electric offensive player.

Or is he?

Data through the team’s first 11 games paints a different picture.

*Leads the NBA

The Blazers shooting guard has been lights-out from deep amid averaging north of 28 points per night. As for CJ’s Player Efficiency Rating (PER), how about higher than Luka’s, LeBron’s, and Kawhi’s?

It’s time to recognize CJ McCollum as one of the 10-best guards in the league.

The composure.

All-angles of CJ McCollum's @trailblazers game-winner! pic.twitter.com/lpInLS1FuG

— NBA (@NBA) January 12, 2021

Denver has the best player in this division in Nikola Jokic. Utah has the most-balanced roster as seven Jazz players are averaging more than 24 minutes per game.

However, Don’t ignore Portland when it comes to Northwest Division betting.

The Trail Blazers have an ultra-dynamic “1-2” punch in the backcourt that’s pouring in more than 55 points per game (tops in the NBA for any duo). As long as Carmelo Anthony can continue chipping in as a reserve, Terry Stotts’ group has more than enough firepower to emerge from this division.