Clippers vs Jazz Odds and Picks
By Chris Amberley in NBA Basketball
Updated: February 19, 2021 at 9:05 am ESTPublished:
- The Utah Jazz are 2.5-point road favorites over the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday (Feb. 17th, 10:10 pm EST)
- Utah is riding an eight-game winning streak, and is 2.5 games clear of LA in the Western Conference standings
- See below for analysis, odds and a betting prediction
Two of the hottest teams in the West clash in LA on Wednesday (Feb. 17th, 10:10 pm EST), as the first place Utah Jazz battle the third place Clippers.
Utah enters play riding an eight-game winning streak, the longest active streak in the NBA, while Los Angeles has reeled off four straight victories of its own.
Jazz vs Clippers Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Utah Jazz | -2.5 (-110) | -136 | OFF |
| Los Angeles Clippers | +2.5 (-110) | +116 | OFF |
Odds taken Feb. 16th from FanDuel.
The Jazz opened up as a 2.5-point road favorite, looking to improve to 11-3 against Western Conference foes. They’re 10-3 on the road this season, and are fresh off an impressive win over Philadelphia, the top team in the East.
Utah Slams Sixers
The Jazz put up their second highest point total of the season, pouring in 134 points in an 11-point victory over the 76ers. Jordan Clarkson, a top contender for the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award, splashed a season-high 40 points for Utah, burying eight triples along the way.
Jordan Clarkson is ON FIRE. 🔥
40 PTS, 8 3PM for the @utahjazz guard.. they lead PHI with under 5 to play on NBA LP. pic.twitter.com/yBQtHzDVDt
— NBA (@NBA) February 16, 2021
Donovan Mitchell added 24 points, helping the Jazz erase an early 14-point deficit. After starting the season 4-4, they’ve racked up 19 wins in their past 20 outings, compiling an 18-2 record ATS over that stretch.
Another edition of PERFECT @utahjazz BALL MOVEMENT! 🤯👏 pic.twitter.com/dMVPalFC6i
— NBA (@NBA) February 14, 2021
They rank fourth in points per game, fourth in 3-point efficiency and first in total rebounding. Defensively, only the LA Lakers and New York Knicks surrender fewer points per outing, and they rank third in opponent field goal percentage, fourth in blocks, and sixth at defending the 3-point line.
The Utah Jazz have the best record in the NBA and have won 19 of their last 20 games. 🔥🔥
This team is for real. pic.twitter.com/tWxFilIVRC
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) February 16, 2021
They’re 1-0 versus the Clippers this season, and will have the benefit of facing an LA squad that will be missing at least two starters.
Clippers Extinguish Heat
LA meanwhile, defeated the Miami Heat 125-118 on Monday, despite missing starters Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Nicolas Batum and Patrick Beverley.
NBA INJURY ALERT: Clippers SF Kawhi Leonard (leg) is questionable for Wednesday's game vs. the Jazz. SG Paul George (toe) and SF/PF Nicolas Batum (concussion) have been ruled out. pic.twitter.com/9qP8X45ASO
— DraftKings Network (@DKNetwork) February 17, 2021
George and Batum have already been ruled out for this game, and while Leonard is currently listed as questionable, the spread suggests he’ll definitely be in the lineup versus the Jazz.
Without four of their starters, Marcus Morris led the way against the Heat, notching a season-high 32 points and six triples. Ivan Zubac splashed 22, while Lou Williams chipped in 18 points and 10 assists.
https://twitter.com/LAClippers/status/1361792100052869122
The Clippers dished out 31 assists for the second consecutive game, and surprisingly improved to 3-1 without George and Leonard in the lineup.
They’re the NBA’s best 3-point shooting team and third highest scoring offense, and rank top-five in both points against and opponent 3-point field goal percentage.
Keep Riding the Jazz
While it may feel like a trap, there is no way you can fade Utah against a shorthanded LA squad. Even if Kawhi plays, which we expect he will, this line will likely move further in the Jazz’s favor so grabbing the -2.5 now is imperative if you’re thinking about backing Utah.
we've won 19 of our last 20 games. WE'VE WON 19 OF OUR LAST 20 GAMES!#TakeNote pic.twitter.com/NJ47z5JRjJ
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) February 16, 2021
The Jazz are in the midst of a prolific run and are gaining more and more championship buzz every day. They’re 8-4 as a road favorite this season, and held the Clippers to just 100 points last time they met when LA was completely healthy. That night, Kawhi and PG-13 combined for only 45 points on 14-of-41 shooting (34.1%), and we can’t expect Leonard to be 100% even if he plays.
Utah is not only beating teams during its winning streak, they’re embarassing them. 17 of their past 19 victories have been by double-digits, and another 10+ point win in this matchup is definitely in the range of outcomes.
Pick: Utah Jazz -2.5 (-110)
Sports Writer
As SBD's resident Swiss Army Knife, Chris covers virtually every sport including NFL, PGA, NBA, MLB, NCAAB, NCAAF and the Olympics. A true grinder, he'd rather pick off small edges in the player props market than swing for the fences with a 5-leg parlay.
