The Clippers (40-26) will travel to Salt Lake City this evening to take on the Utah Jazz (41-25). At the beginning of the season, nobody would have circled this game as having any implications, especially in the middle of March.
Let the games begin.
You never like to label any games as a “must-win”, but for the Clippers, a team who is 5-5 in their last ten games, tonight’s game is vital if they have any hope of securing home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
One game back of the fourth spot, a win tonight would lock the two teams at a dead tiebreaker. However, having already won the first two match-ups, winning the third game of the season series tonight would give the Clippers the tiebreaker, thus giving them the advantage should these two teams have identical records at the end of the season.
A loss would drop the Clippers to two games back. With 15 games remaining after tonight, that’s not an impossible task, however it is definitely something the Clippers need to make sure doesn’t happen.
Defense
Defense will be key tonight. Going through a rough patch ever since their 14-2 start, it appears as if the team has found their defensive mojo. Over their last five games, the team is allowing 96.4 points per game. Not only are the Clippers winning again, but their defense appears to be returning to what we saw in November!
In the two games this season, Utah has put up only 75 and 72 points. So, whatever the Clips are doing against the Jazz, it’s working.
Utah allows the least amount of points per game at 96.5, so it’s essential the Clippers can find ways to score against this troublesome defense. With Derrick Favors out, and Rudy Gobert, a DPOY candidate, questionable for tonight’s game, it’s key the Clippers take advantage of their missing pieces and score in a handful.
Rebounding
With one of the best rebounders in the game in DeAndre Jordan, and a high-flying athlete like Blake Griffin, it seems as if this team should lead the league in rebounds. However, the team ranks 19th in total rebounds per game.
Rebounding has been an Achilles heel for LA all season long, especially as of recently. The incapability of getting defensive rebounds has led to second chance scoring opportunities for the opposing team, which absolutely kills the Clippers. Utah ranks 22nd in the league in offensive rebounds, so there’s no reason the Clips shouldn’t be coming down with every missed shot.
Outcome
As mentioned earlier, Rudy Gobert is questionable for tonight’s game, but according to reports, it appears likely that he’ll play. Obviously the loss of Gobert would be huge for the Jazz, but the Clippers still are the better team, and should be able to leave Salt Lake City with a win. Experience is something the Jazz lack, with a majority of their players having no playoff games under their belt. The Clippers, with playoff experience across the court, know what it takes to win games like this, and should come out with a chip on their shoulder, knowing what’s at stake: 4th place.
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