The Los Angeles Clippers (16-12) head to Salt Lake City Wednesday for a 9 p.m. ET game against the Utah Jazz (19-7) at Vivint Arena. Below, we look at the Clippers vs. Jazz odds and lines, and make our expert NBA picks, predictions, and bets.
This is the first regular-season meeting between these two since L.A. upset Utah 4-2 in their second-round Western Conference playoff series last season. Clippers wing Kawhi Leonard suffered the knee injury that has him currently sidelined in Game 4 of that series.
Utah is on a seven-game win streak that stretches back to November (5-2 ATS). The Jazz have the second-best non-garbage time efficiency differential (plus-15.8 points per 100 possessions) in December according to CleaningTheGlass.com (CTG).
L.A. has won four straight games (3-1 ATS) with the latest being a 111-95 beatdown of the Phoenix Suns Monday. The Clippers are 5-2 overall, 4-3 ATS and 3-4 O/U with the ninth-best non-garbage time efficiency differential (plus-9.2 points per 100 possessions) in December.
Clippers at Jazz odds, spread and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 2:34 p.m. ET.
- Money line: Clippers +330 (bet $100 to win $330) | Jazz -450 (bet $450 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): Clippers +9.5 (-115) | Jazz -9.5 (-107)
- Over/Under (O/U): 217.5 (O: -115 | U: -107)
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Clippers at Jazz key injuries
Clippers
- SF Paul George (elbow) questionable
- SF Nicolas Batum (ankle) questionable
Jazz
- None.
Clippers at Jazz odds, lines, picks and predictions
Prediction
Jazz 122, Clippers 108
Money line
This is a revenge game for the Jazz (-450) following last year’s playoffs. I expect Utah to handle business at home against an L.A. squad that could be without its leading scorer and only All-Star-caliber player (George).
However, PASS on the Jazz (-450) even though they are obviously the right side because it’s just too pricey for any NBA regular-season money line favorite, regardless of the motivation.
Against the spread
“LEAN” to the JAZZ -9.5 (-107) because they have already been hit with a “sharp line move“.
Utah is playing like the team that finished last year’s regular season with the best overall record. The Jazz are a perfect 5-0 SU this month and have by far the most efficient offense in the NBA.
I’m also assuming Utah guard Donovan Mitchell’s had this game circled on his calendar and Spida has been ballin’ in December.
Mitchell struggled at the end of Utah’s playoff series with L.A. last season and dealt with a nagging leg issue but is averaging 31.0 points per game on 67.8% true shooting (.533/.453/.905) with a plus-14 net rating this month.
It’s only a “lean” because L.A. head coach Ty Lue has proven that he can run Jazz big Rudy Gobert off the floor with small-ball lineups and the Clippers are an elite 3-point shooting team so the backdoor cover is wide open.
Over/Under
TAKE the OVER 217.5 (-115) for 1 unit as my favorite play in the Clippers-Jazz game.
Utah’s offense has been cooking this month, but the Jazz tend to turn the ball over at a high rate and are 24th in points off turnovers allowed per game. Not only are the Clippers an awesome 3-point shooting team but they might get some easy baskets off of turnovers that could push this game Over the total.
Utah has scored at least 118 points in six of its seven-game winning streak and I don’t see that letting up Wednesday.
The Clippers are 20th in second-chance points allowed and 24th in paint points allowed per game. Whereas the Jazz score the fifth-most second-chance points per game and 10th-most paint points per game.
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