Battle of the Defenses
In the young season, the LA Clippers have the best defense in the NBA, only allowing 90 points per game and also sport the league’s best point differential at plus-29. The Jazz are fourth in the league in defense at 94.3 points per contest and were one of the best defense in the league last season as well. The Clippers have faced two of the weaker teams in the league, the Lakers and the Suns, so you have to take their point allowed per game and their point differential with a grain of salt since they’ve yet to face a good team. Nevertheless, defense will still be an important key in the Clippers’ matchup with the Suns, as two of the best defensive centers in the league will be facing off. The Clippers’ starting lineup with Rivers has the potential to be one of the best lineups in the league as everyone in the lineup is at least an average defender at their position.
The Jazz may be without one of their better wing defenders, Joe Ingles, who shut down J.J. Redick in last year’s playoffs and will also be without another one of their better defenders in Rodney Hood. Utah is a team that likes to slow down the ball on offense which often catches teams off guard as they are used to teams pushing the tempo instead of slowing it. In order to avoid falling into this trap, the Clippers need to play at their own pace and push the ball rather than being lulled into slowing it down by the Jazz.