Jazz vs. Clippers NBA expert prediction, pick and odds for Friday, April 5 (Lay it with Los Angeles)
NBA betting preview, prediction and best bet for Jazz-Clippers.
The Los Angeles Clippers scored a big-time win on Thursday in taking out the defending NBA-champion Denver Nuggets at home, 102-100. With six games left, Los Angeles is in a great position to secure one of the Western Conference’s automatic playoff bids.
LA is currently No. 4 in the west and holds a three-game lead over the No. 7 Pelicans. The Clippers are still fighting to secure a top-4 spot with the Dallas Mavericks only two games back.
Los Angeles has just two games remaining against teams with losing records, and they’re both against the Utah Jazz, starting Friday night at Crypto.com Arena. Can they pull away as monster favorites?
Here’s the betting breakdown of the matchup with a best bet.
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Jazz vs. Clippers odds, spread and total
Jazz vs. Clippers how to watch
- Date: Friday, April 5
- Game time: 10:30 p.m. EST
- Venue: Crypto.com Arena
- How to watch (TV): Bally Sports
- Jazz record: 29-47
- Clippers record: 48-28
Jazz vs. Clippers injury report
Utah Jazz
- Jordan Clarkson (back): out
- John Collins (back): out
- Walker Kessler (nasal fracture): out
- Lauri Markkanen (shoulder): out
Los Angeles Clippers
- Not yet submitted
Jazz vs. Clippers key players to watch
Utah Jazz
Brice Sensabugh: Utah’s first-round pick last season is averaging 6.8 points per game but is making the most of the Jazz’s injury-filled lineup with more playing time. Sensabaugh was held scoreless March 29 in a one-point loss to Houston. In two games since, Sensabaugh has turned in 22 points in both contests and has shot 14-of-28 from the field with 11 three-pointers.
Los Angeles Clippers
Ivica Zubac: The 7-foot center is shooting 64.5% from the field (third in the NBA) but has gone just 9-of-25 combined over his first two April performances. He’s made up for it by continuing to crash the glass as a top-15 rebounder in the NBA. Zubac has back-to-back double-doubles in those contests after finishing with 14 points and 15 rebounds in Thursday’s win over the Nuggets.
Jazz vs. Clippers prediction and pick
These two teams split a pair of matchups early in the season but to say the Utah Jazz are a different team since the last time they faced the Clippers (Dec. 8) is an understatement.
Utah has been hammered by injuries and has lost 10 consecutive games. The Jazz are just 3-21 since Feb. 6, when they were sitting at .500 and had a puncher’s chance at the playoffs.
The Clippers still have max motivation - something needed when laying double figures this late in the season - to secure the No. 4 spot in the Western Conference and the first-round home court advantage that comes with it.
The status of Kawhi Leonard, who missed Thursday’s win over Denver, is still up in the air, but the Clippers’ offense (No. 3 in net rating) still has enough firepower to run by a Utah defense that is now last in defensive rating and has allowed at least 113 points in nine of the last 10 games.
The Clippers’ defense can smother a Utah offense that doesn’t pack much of a punch with the majority of its stars sidelined. Utah scores nearly eight points less on the road (112 per game) than at home (120.1) and the Jazz are just 11-20-1 ATS as a road underdog this season. Lay the points with LA.
Game odds update periodically and are subject to change.