The NBA regular season continues on Wednesday. The Los Angeles Clippers will hit the road and face off against the Utah Jazz. It's time to continue our NBA odds series and make a Clippers-Jazz prediction and pick.
Both of these teams have had similar starts to the season. The Los Angeles Clippers are 16-12 and have won their last four games, while the Utah Jazz are 19-7 and have won their last seven games.
Here are the odds for the Clippers-Jazz Wednesday night NBA matchup, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Clippers-Jazz Odds
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Los Angeles Clippers: +9.5 (-110)
Utah Jazz: -9.5 (-110)
Over: 217.5 (-110)
Under: 217.5 (-110)
Why The Clippers Could Cover The Spread
The Los Angeles Clippers have been battling this season. While they have faced a good deal of adversity, through their first 28 games they have managed to compile a 16-12 record. The Clippers are hot right now. They have won their last four games, with their most recent victory coming against the Phoenix Suns by 16. Los Angeles has been looking pretty good and they will try and carry that momentum into one of their toughest matches of the season. The Utah Jazz is a fierce opponent, and as big underdogs the Clippers will come out trying to pull off the upset.
The Clippers had the edge over the Suns in a few key categories. LA took 18 fewer shots than Phoenix, 78 vs 96, but shot at a much higher efficiency, 55.1% vs 37.5%. This efficiency was key for the Clippers in this game. It was most noticeable in the difference in three-point shooting. The Clippers went 9 for 21 while the Suns went 7 for 29. However, where the Clippers need to improve is in their free throws. While both teams made 16 free throws, the Suns did so in only 19 attempts while the Clippers took 23. Another area they need to improve is turnovers. The Clippers had 6 more turnovers than the Suns. Overall, LA was impressive in their win over Phoenix and if they can improve on that performance then they may be able to pull off this upset.
The most impressive player on the Clippers in their win over Phoenix was Marcus Morris Sr. While the whole team contributed to this win, Morris stands out as the key contributor. In 33 minutes he had 24 points and 11 rebounds. Without Paul George, the Clippers needed someone to step up and Morris did just that. George is questionable for this game on Wednesday. If PG is out, Morris has proven that he can pick up the slack.
Why The Jazz Could Cover The Spread
The Utah Jazz is one of the best teams in the NBA. Through their first 26 games, they have a 19-7 record. They are on a bit of a winning streak right now, having won their last seven games. Their most recent victory came against the Washington Wizards by 25. The Jazz were dominant in that game and will be looking to extend their win streak on Wednesday. The Clippers are a gritty team that can battle, but Utah should be up for the challenge. Expect the Jazz to come out firing on Wednesday and to defend their home court.
The statistics actually make the Jazz's win over Washington seem like it should have been closer. The closest statistic is made shots and shot attempts. Utah went 48 for 93 from the field, while the Wizards shot 41 for 89. Where Utah had the biggest edge was in threes. The Jazz made 13 three pointers while the Wizards only made eight.
The leader of this Jazz team is Donovan Mitchell. Mitchell is an NBA superstar and has really come into his own. He has led this team to another successful season thus far and has shown no signs of slowing down. In their win over the Wizards, Mitchell had 28 points and five assists. This type of performance is not abnormal for Spida. On the season he is averaging nearly 25 points and five assists a game. If he can maintain his level of play, then the Jazz should have no problem getting this win at home.
Final Clippers-Jazz Prediction & Pick
This game is interesting because of how wide the spread is. The Clippers could be competitive in this contest, but that is largely dependent on whether Paul George plays. As of now, he is questionable for the game. Regardless, the Jazz have been dominant lately and their performance has warranted such a wide spread. Utah has beaten their last three opponents by 32, 22, and 25 points. They could easily end up dominating in this game and they should be your pick. Pick the Jazz to win and cover.
FINAL CLIPPERS-JAZZ PREDICTION & PICK: Utah Jazz -9.5 (-110)
FINAL CLIPPERS-JAZZ SCORE PREDICTION: Jazz 122 – Clippers 108
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