The Utah Jazz have a little more on the line than the Los Angeles Clippers when they meet at 10 p.m. ET on Tuesday. Utah (45-30) is fifth in the Western Conference standings and is a half-game ahead of Denver for sixth and two and a half ahead of Minnesota for seventh. The Jazz are also one game behind fourth-place Dallas.
For Los Angeles (36-39), it is a playoff tune-up since it is nearly locked into the play-in tournament as an eight seed. However, the Clippers could have Paul George return after missing the last 46 games with an elbow injury. He’s questionable for Tuesday.
The line opened at Utah -1 with an over/under of 217. Those have since moved to Utah -1.5 with an over/under of 218 since this writing.
Los Angeles Clippers Betting Preview: 3-and-D
If George gives it a go, the main priority will be to get him in rhythm in the minutes he plays, likely facing a minutes restriction. In the 26 games he’s played, the last on Dec. 22, 2021, he’s averaging a team-best 24.7 points per game along with 7.1 rebounds and team-highs of 5.5 assists and 2.0 steals per game. As mentioned, this is more of a tune-up for the Clippers, and it would be big to get George settled.
Elsewhere, former Pistons have steadied the team. Veterans Reggie Jackson, Marcus Morris Sr., and Luke Kennard have led the team all year, and in George’s absence, the team has created depth. Kennard shoots 44.8% on 3-pointers to lead a team that is sixth in the league at 36.4% from deep.
Defensively, they are 11th and allow 108.3 points per game. The Clippers are sixth in defensive efficiency, forcing teams to shoot 45% from the field, and the 34.6% clip from 3-point range is 11th.
Utah Jazz Betting Preview: Find offensive groove
Utah is on a four-game slide and hopes to have Rudy Gobert (leg) and Hassan Whiteside (foot) in the lineup — both are questionable. During the losing streak, the Jazz have averaged 101.5 points per game, well below the 113.3 that has them sixth in the league. If there’s any consolation, it’s that those four losses were to playoff teams: Brooklyn, Boston, Charlotte, and Dallas.
The Jazz have to strike with quick opportunities as they can. They are fifth in efficiency, converting 47.0% of attempts, and seventh on 3-pointers at 36.3%. They also grab 16.1 rebounds per game, the fifth-best mark, and hold teams to 41.8 boards per contest (second).
Defensively they hold teams to 107.6 points per game and are 10th in efficiency, forcing teams to convert 45.3% from the field and 34.8% on 3-pointers (13th).
Betting Prediction
Utah is 31-41-3 against the spread and 33-40-2 on over/unders this season and is a respectable .500 at 19-19 on the road. The Clippers are 36-39 against the spread and 34-38-3 on over/under this season while touting a 20-16 home record.
Potentially getting George back is a big deal for Los Angeles. It could give them a jolt. Even if he sits, the Clippers know they have a team struggling on the last leg of a six-game road trip. We’ll go with the underdogs at +1.5 here.
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