Clippers vs. Jazz Friday Prediction
The 4-1 Clippers will be in Utah on Friday night where they’ll take on a 2-2 Jazz team that was beaten soundly at home on Thursday night by the Suns. Will Utah rebound as a 3-point home dog or will Kawahi Leonard and Co. cover as a small favorite tonight at 9:00 p.m. ET?
Game Snapshot
541 Los Angeles Clippers (-3) at 542 Utah Jazz (+3); o/u 223.5
9:00 p.m. ET, Friday, January 1, 2021
Venue: Vivint Smart Home Arena, Salt Lake City, UT
TV: N/A
Los Angeles Clippers DFS Spin
Kawhi Leonard (mouth) hit 9-of-17 shots, three 3-pointers and 7-of-8 free throws for 28 points, three rebounds, seven assists, three steals and a block in 30 minutes of Wednesday’s blowout win over the Blazers. Leonard missed Sunday’s game after nearly getting his head taken off by a Serge Ibaka inadvertent elbow and played with a mask tonight, but looked fantastic, as usual. The Clippers go on Friday and Sunday before getting the Spurs on Tuesday and the Warriors on Wednesday. And you have to think there’s a decent chance that Kawhi will be rested for one of those back-to-back games next week.
Utah Jazz DFS Spin
Rudy Gobert double-doubled in Thursday’s loss to the Suns with 18 points, 14 rebounds, one steal, one block and one turnover in 34 minutes. “It’s really early in the season. We’re 2-2,” said Gobert after the loss. “We play a very good team tomorrow. Big game and another opportunity to come out and do what we do and get a win.” The Jazz have stumbled out the gates this year, but it hasn’t been to the fault of Gobert, who is flirting with top-20 value behind averages of 17.0 points, 14.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.5 blocks and 2.0 turnovers per game on 75.7% shooting from the field and 60% from the stripe. Look for him to have another big stat line on Friday vs. the Clippers.
Clippers vs. Jazz Betting Prediction
The Clippers are just 2-7 against the spread in their last nine games versus the Jazz, who are 19-8-1 at the betting window in their last 28 home games versus Los Angeles. The Clippers are also just 1-4 against the spread in their last five games playing on one day of rest, while the Jazz have covered in five of their last six games as a home underdog and are 10-3-1 against the number in their last 14 games as an underdog of any kind.
NBA BETTING PREDICTION: UTAH JAZZ +3
