For the first time in their second-round series with Utah, the L.A. Clippers’ best players were the game’s best players – and they’ll look to continue that trend Monday as they host the Jazz in Game 4. The Clippers (52-30 SU, 44-36-2 ATS) received a combined 65 points from Kawhi Leonard and Paul George to trounce the Jazz (58-22 SU, 46-32-2 ATS) and get back into the series.
- Date/Time: June 14, 10 p.m. ET
- Arena: Staples Center
- TV Coverage: ESPN
- Sportsbook Odds: Clippers -5 | O/U 223.5 (Line History)
- Jazz vs Clippers Matchup Report
Sportsbook Odds Analysis
The Clippers opened as 5-point favorites for the second consecutive game, but you can now find -4.5s in some spots. The total, on the other hand, has held steady at 223.5.
Utah News & Notes
The Jazz struggled at both ends of the floor Saturday night en route to one of their worst performances of the season. The effort on the defensive side of the ball was particularly galling, as Utah allowed the Clippers to shoot 56.2 percent from the field and 52.8 percent from three-point range, the latter number coming even as the Jazz held Leonard to 1-for-6 shooting from downtown.
With Mike Conley expected to miss his third straight game with a hamstring injury, the Jazz will need to focus on taking better care of the basketball. They finished Game 3 with more turnovers (16) than assists (15) and watched the Clippers turn those turnovers into 24 points, nearly matching the final margin of victory. Utah ranked 18th during the regular season at 13.5 turnovers per game.
Los Angeles News & Notes
When Leonard and George are doing their thing offensively, the Clippers are a difficult team to beat – and the Jazz learned that first-hand Saturday night. Leonard (34 points) overcame a rough shooting night from beyond the arc while adding 12 rebounds and five assists while George (31 points) knocked down six treys en route to his highest-scoring performance of the playoffs so far.
Look for the Clippers to consider employing a small-ball approach for the second game in a row after it worked to near-perfection in Game 3. Nicolas Batum got the start at center over Ivica Zubac, and that seemed to mystify a Jazz team that relies heavily on Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert to patrol the paint. Batum finished with 17 points in 35 minutes of action.
Betting Pick: OVER 223.5 (-110)
Utah has been a sensational OVER play of late, and we see no reason for that to change regardless of whether they improve their offensive or defensive fortunes Monday night.
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Buy Sports Picks Now- Utah is 5-1-1 ATS in its past 7 games.
- Leonard is 4-for-14 from 3-point range in the series.
- The OVER is 7-1 in the Jazz’s last 8 games.
