NBA Series Preview: The Clippers are looking to exorcise their playoff demons and “all that Jazz” this year.
#5 Utah Jazz (51-31) vs. #4 Los Angeles Clippers (51-31).
Series Odds: Clippers -220, Jazz +180.
Series schedule (courtesy of cbs.com):
Game 1 — Saturday, April 15, Utah at L.A. Clippers, 10:30 p.m., ESPN
Game 2 — Tuesday, April 18, Utah at L.A. Clippers, 10:30 p.m., TNT
Game 3 — Friday, April 21, L.A. Clippers at Utah, 10 p.m., ESPN2
Game 4 — Sunday, April 23, L.A. Clippers at Utah, 9 p.m., TNT
Game 5 — Tuesday, April 25, Utah at L.A. Clippers, TBD
Game 6 — Friday, April 28, L.A. Clippers at Utah, TBD
Game 7 — Sunday, April 30, Utah at L.A. Clippers, TBD
Regular season series: Clippers 3-1.
ATS records: Utah 36-42-4, Los Angeles 40-41-1.
Over/under records: Utah 42-40, Los Angeles 44-37-1.
Prediction: Clippers in 7 games.
On the surface, it seems like the Clippers have things going their way as they embark on their latest postseason journey. There are three important factors Los Angeles has in their favor.
First of all, the Clippers have won 18 out of the last 20 meetings against the Jazz. Los Angeles has owned Utah. The Clippers had won 10 straight games at Utah before the Jazz finally beat them 114-108 on March 13. Los Angeles beat the Jazz by double-digits in their other three meeting this season.
Secondly, Los Angeles is playing their best basketball coming into the playoffs since they started the season 14-2. The Clips have won 7 straight and 11 of 13 games coming into the postseason.
Lastly, the Clippers are healthy for this postseason. Chris Paul and Blake Griffin got hurt in the first round of last year’s playoffs against Portland in Game 4. The Trail Blazers won the next two games to eliminate Los Angeles in Game 6. This year, everyone is healthy except for Austin Rivers, who has a left hamstring strain that will keep him out of the first two or three games of this series.
However, this Utah team is nothing to sneeze at, even if it is allergy season.
Sure, the Jazz are making their first playoff appearance since they were swept by the Spurs in the first round in 2012. Sure, the Jazz have lost 8 straight postseason games dating back to the 2010 playoffs. Sure, not one player on their current roster was with Utah during the 2010 postseason. That was the last time the Jazz won a playoff game and series. Utah eliminated the Denver Nuggets in six games in the first round in 2010 before getting swept by the Lakers.
This Utah squad has some talent. The only two players left from the 2012 playoff team are Gordon Hayward and Derrick Favors. Hayward averages 21.9 points per game (PPG) while Favors averages 9.5 PPG off the bench. George Hill came over from the Pacers and averaged 16.9 PPG this season. Rudy Gobert is a beast on defense, with 2.6 blocks per game and 12.8 rebounds per game to go along with his 14 PPG.
Utah likes to slow the game down. The Jazz are dead last in the league in pace. However, they rank #1 in points allowed per game and are #3 in defensive rating. The Jazz rank #28 in PPG, which proves that they are efficient on offense because they are #12 in offensive rating.
The Clippers rank #6 in the league in PPG and are #5 in offensive rating. Los Angeles is not shabby on the defensive end either. The Clips rank #12 in both points allowed per game and defensive rating. The Clips rank #16 in pace, but they do like the push the ball when they can.
The team who is able to impose their will on the other and be the more efficient team on offense will win the series. I do not believe that Los Angeles is a lock to win this series. However, they are getting hot at the right time and have something to prove after last year’s first-round ouster. So the motivational edge should be enough to get by the Jazz in this series.
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