Utah Jazz vs Los Angeles Clippers Betting Pick & Prediction 12/16/24

At 10:30 ET, the Clippers (-364) will host the Jazz (+285) in a Western Conference matchup. The Clippers are favored by 8 and have lost three straight games, while the Jazz have lost two in a row and are 14th in the West.

This game will be played at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood and can be seen on FDSS. The over/under line is 224.5 points.

UTAH JAZZ VS LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Utah Jazz +8

This game will be played at Intuit Dome at 10:30 ET on Monday, December 16th.

WHY BET THE UTAH JAZZ:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 138-92 in favor of the Jazz.
• Our projections have Lauri Markkanen finishing with 21 points, 7 rebounds and 2 assists.
• From the field, we have the Jazz finishing with a field goal percentage of 46.2% and knocking down 15 threes.

Can the Jazz Offense Score Enough on the Road?

The Jazz fell to 5-19 on the season after a 134-126 loss to the Suns on Friday. Utah, playing at home, entered the game as +6.5 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game were 260, well over the O/U line of 233.5.

Utah started strong, leading 39-38 after the 1st quarter, but a 12-0 run by the Suns pushed the score from 58-53 to 70-53. The Jazz fought back, narrowing the gap to 112-105 going into the 4th quarter, but were outscored 22-21 in the final period.

In their 134-126 loss to the Suns, the Jazz connected on 22 threes, shooting 56.4% from deep and 55.8% overall. Jordan Clarkson led the way with 23 points, hitting 4 threes at a 66.7% clip.

John Collins added 22 points, also making 4 threes at 66.7%. Lauri Markkanen contributed 19 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 threes, shooting 57.1% from beyond the arc.

Utah’s defense struggled on Friday, giving up 134 points to the Suns, including 38 points in both the 1st and 2nd quarters. They tightened up in the 4th, allowing just 22 points, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the earlier damage.

The Jazz allowed Phoenix to shoot 52% from the field, including 48% from beyond the arc, where the Suns hit 22 threes. Utah also sent Phoenix to the line 20 times, with the Suns converting 18 free throws. Defensively, the Jazz recorded 5 steals and 6 blocks.

Can the Clippers Offense Score Enough at Home?

The Clippers fell to 14-12 on the season after a 120-98 road loss to the Nuggets on Friday. L.A. entered the game as +7.5 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread. The combined score of 218 points fell short of the 227.5-point total.

After an 18-0 run, the Clippers took control, but Denver responded by outscoring L.A. 35-22 in the 3rd quarter and 37-29 in the 4th, closing out the game strong.

In their 120-98 loss to the Nuggets, the Clippers’ offense struggled, shooting just 44.6% from the field and 34.1% from beyond the arc. They did manage to hit 14 threes, but their overall shooting was below average.

Norman Powell and Kevin Porter Jr. led the Clippers with 16 points each, with James Harden adding 15. Bones Hyland scored 11 of his 13 points in the 4th quarter.

The Clippers’ defense shined in the 2nd quarter, holding the Nuggets to 19 points, but they struggled in the 3rd and 4th quarters, giving up 35 and 37 points, respectively, leading to a 120-98 loss. Denver shot 54% from the field.

From beyond the arc, the Clippers limited the Nuggets to 10 threes on 34% shooting. Los Angeles also sent Denver to the line 32 times, where they made 26 free throws. The Clippers finished with 18 steals and 2 blocks.