The No. 1 seed Utah Jazz take aim at their sixth consecutive postseason victory when they host the fourth-seeded Los Angeles Clippers in Game 2 of their Western Conference second-round series in the 2021 NBA Playoffs on Thursday night. The Jazz, who are listed second in the NBA futures odds to win it all at +325, were 31-5 on their home floor during the regular season and played before a capacity crowd of 18,000 for the first time in 15 months in Tuesday's come-from-behind victory in the series opener. Los Angeles erased a 2-0 series deficit vs. Dallas in the opening round by winning four of the final five games but came up one possession short in Tuesday's 112-109 setback.
Tip-off is scheduled for 10 p.m. ET at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City. William Hill Sportsbook lists Utah as a 2.5-point favorite, while the over-under for total points scored is 222 in the latest Clippers vs. Jazz odds. Before finalizing any Jazz vs. Clippers picks, be sure to check out the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned over $9,100 in profit on its top-rated NBA picks over the past two-plus seasons. The model is up almost $900 on its top-rated picks this season and entered the conference semifinals of the 2021 NBA Playoffs on a stunning 100-66 roll on top-rated NBA picks against the spread dating back to last season. Anybody who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has locked in its Clippers vs. Jazz picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Now, here are several NBA odds and betting trends for Jazz vs. Clippers:
- Clippers vs. Jazz spread: Jazz -2.5
- Clippers vs. Jazz over-under: 222 points
- Clippers vs. Jazz money line: Jazz -140, Clippers +120
- LAC: Clippers C Serge Ibaka (back) was ruled out for Game 2
- UTAH: Jazz PG Mike Conley (hamstring) has been ruled out
Why the Clippers can cover
Los Angeles' top two scorers, forwards Leonard and George, combined to average nearly 56 points in the first-round series against Dallas but the Clippers were held to 23 and 20, respectively, on Tuesday. Leonard was 9-of-19 from the floor, marking only the second time in seven games that he shot under 66 percent from the field, a stat he chalked up to fatigue. A two-time NBA Finals Most Valuable Player, Leonard is averaging 31.0 points during the postseason.
George has scored at least 20 points in each of the Clippers' eight playoff games but he was off the mark for most of Game 1, connecting on just 4-of-17 shots. Still, he scored 13 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter to spark the Clippers' comeback and also pulled down 10 rebounds for his fourth consecutive double-double. Luke Kennard provided a spark off the bench with 18 points on four 3-pointers, as did big man Ivica Zubac, who collected 11 points and six rebounds.
Why the Jazz can cover
An ankle injury kept All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell out of the lineup for more than five weeks, but he returned to average 28.5 points over the final four games in the first round vs. Memphis. Mitchell elevated his game up a few notches in Game 1 against the Clippers, pouring in 45 points -- 32 coming in the second half on 11-of-17 shooting. It was the fourth 40-point playoff outing for Mitchell, matching the franchise record held by Hall of Famer Karl Malone.
Rudy Gobert was named the NBA Defensive Players of the Year on Wednesday, which came 24 hours after he clinched the series-opening win by blocking a tying 3-point attempt by Marcus Morris. It was the third time in four years the award was won by Gobert, who had 10 points and 12 rebounds and contested 21 shots on Tuesday. Sixth Man of the Year Jordan Clarkson scored 18 points Tuesday and is averaging 22.0 points and five 3-pointers made in his last three games.
How to make Clippers vs. Jazz picks
SportsLine's model is leaning under on the total, projecting 218 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits well over 50 percent of the time. You can only get this pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Clippers vs. Jazz? And which side of the spread hits in well over 50 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its NBA picks.
