Two different games, one theme: the side with the fresher legs and the better content faces a team whose defence is stretched thin.
Tottenham against Crystal Palace is a possession game against a low block. Spurs keep the ball, win plenty of corners and have had a full week of rest, while Palace played an EFL Cup tie midweek and have a European trip next. Palace have conceded 19 in eight league games and were beaten 5-0 at Brighton.
Palace are missing Sarr up front and several defenders have been out for weeks, so this is the squad they have been playing with, not a fresh blow. Spurs lose Bentancur to suspension, which costs some control, but they won at Chelsea and beat Coventry with the same injury list. I expect Spurs to dominate territory and a set piece or a counter to decide a tight game. That's why I'm siding with Tottenham to win.
Utah against Portland in the NBA is a shooting and defence mismatch. Utah have lost four straight and conceded around 120 in their last two home games, with Jackson and Nurkic out of the frontcourt. Portland shoot better overall, get to the line a lot (41 free-throw attempts in the win at the Lakers) and have scored about five more points per game over their last ten.
Portland have been winning without Morant and Sharpe, so the guard absences are already in their numbers. Utah's scoring fades in the fourth quarter, which suits a visitor building a lead through the middle quarters. That's why I'm siding with Portland to win by a clear margin.
