The Utah Jazz head to Staples Center in Los Angeles on Saturday night to take on the LA Clippers in Game 3 of their Western Conference semifinal series, so here are the best NBA Playoffs betting pick and odds.
The top-seeded Jazz have won the first two games on the home court, going 1-0-1 ATS in the process. After a 112-109 Game 1 victory as 3-point favorites, the Jazz defeated the Clippers 117-111 in Game 2 this past Thursday, covering a 2.5-point spread.
Utah opened as a 4-point road underdog for Saturday’s clash. The Clippers are -190 moneyline favorites on BetRivers Sportsbook, while the totals are set at 223.5 points.
The Jazz hit 20 triples in Game 2
The Utah Jazz continue to lean heavily on their 3-point shooting. They went 20-for-39 from beyond the arc last Thursday, and the Clippers just didn’t have a proper answer. Donovan Mitchell led the way for Utah once more, accounting for 37 points on a 15-for-29 shooting from the field.
Mitchell scored 47 in Game 1, as the Jazz shot only 34.0% from downtown in the opener. Utah’s superstar has been unstoppable so far this postseason, averaging 32.7 points and 5.3 assists a night. Mitchell singlehandedly beat the Clippers in Game 1, while Rudy Gobert, Bojan Bogdanovic, Joe Ingles, and Jordan Clarkson all played a huge part in that six-point win on Thursday.
Utah is tallying 120.9 points per game on the postseason, making 17.3 treys a night on an excellent 40.9% shooting from deep. The Jazz are yielding 113.6 points in a return on 46.3% shooting from the field and 34.3% from beyond the 3-point line.
The Clippers have to improve a lot on both sides of the floor
The No. 4 Los Angeles Clippers barely survived the first-round clash against the Mavericks. They continue to struggle in the semis, and the Clippers will have to do a much better job on both sides of the ball if they want to stand a chance of eliminating the best team in their conference.
LA blew a 14-point lead in Game 1. The Clippers played solid defense but scored a paltry 28 points in the paint while making 42.4% of their field goals. They haven’t been at the same level in Game 2, at least not on the defensive end, allowing the Jazz to make it rain from deep.
Reggie Jackson led the way for the Clippers this past Thursday, tallying 29 points on 11-for-19 shooting from the field. Paul George had 27 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists, while Kawhi Leonard added 21 points and five dimes. The Clippers certainly need more from Kawhi who’s averaging 29.9 points per game this postseason.
Trends:
Utah:
- 1-4 ATS in the last five road games as underdogs
LA Clippers:
- 10-6 ATS in the last 16 home games as favorites of four or fewer points
NBA Picks
The Clippers just have to win this game, and I think they’ll work well under pressure. The home-court advantage should help, as the Clippers have to be aggressive on the defensive end and slow down Utah’s lethal 3-point shooting.
I’m also expecting Kawhi Leonard to finally show up in this series. He’s been a key factor in the Clippers’ narrow win over Dallas in seven games, so the Claw has to bring his best game Saturday and help the Clippers establish some kind of an offensive rhythm.
Pick: Take Los Angeles Clippers -4.0 at -110
The Total:
The over is 5-2-1 in the last eight encounters between the Jazz and Clippers. The opening clash of this series went just in the under of a 221.5-point total, while Game 2 went in the over of a 222.5-point total.
Considering Utah’s style of play, I wouldn’t be surprised with another high-scoring game. The previous duel between these two foes at Staples Center produced 228 points in total, as the Clippers barely outlasted the Jazz, 116-112.
Pick: Go over 223.5 points at -110