The Los Angeles Lakers welcome the Utah Jazz to Staples Center on Saturday afternoon. Utah (42-14) won the first matchup this season, knocking off Los Angeles by a 114-89 margin in late February. The Lakers vs. Jazz injury report will have a big impact on this matchup. LeBron James (ankle) and Anthony Davis (calf) remain out for Los Angeles (34-22). Markieff Morris (ankle) and Marc Gasol (finger) are questionable, while Andre Drummond (toe) and Dennis Schroder (foot) are among the Lakers listed as probable. Utah will be without Donovan Mitchell (ankle), Derrick Favors (knee), Mike Conley (rest) and Rudy Gobert (rest).
Tip-off is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. ET in Los Angeles. The Jazz vs. Lakers odds at William Hill Sportsbook have seen plenty of movement, and now it is Los Angeles listed as a one-point favorite after opening at +8.5. The over-under is down to 215 after opening at 217. Before finalizing any Lakers vs. Jazz picks, be sure to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times, and it has returned over $9,100 in profit on its top-rated NBA picks over the past two-plus seasons. The model is up over $1,100 on its top-rated picks this season, and dating back to last year, it entered Week 17 of the 2020-21 NBA schedule on a stunning 95-59 roll on top-rated NBA picks against the spread. Anybody who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Lakers vs. Jazz. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Now, here are several NBA odds and betting trends for Jazz vs. Lakers:
- Jazz vs. Lakers spread: Lakers -1
- Jazz vs. Lakers over-under: 215 points
- Jazz vs. Lakers money line: Lakers -115; Jazz -105
- UTAH: The Jazz are 3-7 against the spread in the last 10 games
- LAL: The Lakers are 5-5 against the spread in the last 10 games
Why the Jazz can cover
The Jazz are a top-five team on both ends of the floor, leading to the NBA's best record and point differential. Utah is scoring 1.17 points per possession for the season, utilizing incredible balance and ball movement. The Jazz are a top-five team in both effective field goal percentage (56 percent) and offensive rebound rate, with a top-10 mark in free throw creation. Utah does face a strong opposing defense in Los Angeles, but the Jazz have been able to maintain their supreme efficiency level throughout the season. On the opposite end, Utah has a major advantage in this matchup.
The Lakers are the second-worst offensive team in the NBA since James and Davis exited with injuries, scoring only 1.04 points per possession. In that time frame, Los Angeles is third-worst in true shooting percentage (55 percent) and, for the full season, the Lakers are last in the league in ball security, turning the ball over on 15.6 percent of possessions.
Why the Lakers can cover
The Lakers are keyed by their defense, and it is elite by any description. Los Angeles leads the entire NBA in defensive rating, giving up just 105.8 points per 100 possessions for the season. The Lakers have been able to maintain, and even improve, on that efficiency in the absence of James and Davis, giving up only 105.2 points per 100 possessions in the last 14 games.
Frank Vogel's team ranks No. 3 in the NBA in 3-point defense, allowing opponents to make just 34.5 percent of their attempts, and the Lakers are No. 8 in 2-point defense at 52.1 percent. The Lakers are strongly above average in both free throw prevention (20.0 attempts per game) and defensive rebound rate (74.6 percent), and Los Angeles gives up only 11.9 second-chance points per game, which is one of the best figures in the NBA.
How to make Jazz vs. Lakers picks
SportsLine's model is leaning under on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 213 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits almost 70 percent of the time. You can get that pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Jazz vs. Lakers? And which side of the spread hits almost 70 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that is on a 95-59 roll on NBA picks.
