Well, this usually wouldn’t be a game we write about with the odds so heavy in favor of the Lakers. However, this Utah team isn’t bad, as their record would lead you to believe, especially when Lauri Markkanen is playing. Sitting at dead last in the Western Conference Standings, the sneaky talent of this Jazz team could make this an excellent matchup against a Lakers team on a five-game winning streak!
The Lakers are the obvious favorite in this matchup; DraftKings has their moneyline odds at -575. That’s not a line for this group, as Jazz have struggled to find their footing this year. The Lakers, led by LeBron James and Anthony Davis, have devastated both sides of the court. AD has been particularly impressive lately, putting up some monster numbers in their last 3 games. Beyond the two obvious stars, they’ve found some success in their supporting cast. Austin Reaves has taken a leap this year as he continues to take on a more significant role on the offense. He’s averaging 18 points a game on solid shooting with 5 assists and 4 rebounds. He’s done exactly what they've needed from them. He’s not the only one either, as Dalton Knecht, their rookie out of Tennessee, has provided a healthy boost of offense and shooting off their bench. The Lakers seem close to being a true contender again.
Even with the better roster and record so far, we have a feeling about this game. It’s in LA, but the Jazz are sneaky in situations like this. They have the size to challenge LA on the boards, and if their three-ball is going in, this game could be close. We’ve already seen them knock off better teams like Dallas and San Antonio. Markkanen has been a bit down this year, struggling with some early injuries. He is putting up 17 points a game on great shooting splits, but we’d like to see his attempts go up. Especially since this roster is so young, they need him to lead the way. We believe in this team; they’ve put together an excellent group for the future with Keyonte George, Collin Sexton, Kyle Filipowski, and Walker Kessler. They have enough talent to keep tonight’s game interesting if the Lakers don’t bring them A-game.
Anthony Davis Under 12.5 Rebounds: We don’t expect Anthony Davis to play most of this game. If the Lakers take a big lead early, Davis will end up sitting for most of the second half, cutting into his rebounding numbers. Even if he does play, the Jazz have some big bodies Davis might not want to bump around with down low. Either way, the under feels safe tonight.
Lauri Markkanen Points 25+: Markkanen will need to up his scoring tonight to have a shot. With no one beyond Davis to toss at Markkanen, we could see him elevate his game.
Austin Reaves Over 5.5 Assists: Austin Reaves has come into his game this year. He has been averaging 5.5 assists this year, so hitting one more than his average seems doable against a young team like Utah.