Previewing Monday's Intriguing Lakers-Jazz Matchup

Quick-Hitters

• Through the first 12 games since the NBA season resumed, the OVER has been hit in every game except for contests involving either the Utah Jazz or the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers and the Jazz will face each other on Monday night (CLICK HERE FOR OPENING ODDS). Los Angeles and Utah are currently the first and fourth seeds in the Western Conference, respectively. The Lakers are six-point favorites and the O/U total for the game is 219.

• Bettors may be wondering if there’s any limit on the amount that they can bet on the UNDER in the Jazz/Lakers game given how badly both teams have struggled offensively. The Jazz have scored an average of 100 points per game while shooting 41.5% in their first two games in the Orlando bubble. The Lakers haven’t had much success either as they’ve scored an average of 97.5 points per game while shooting a dreadful 37.1% from the field in their first two games.

• Utah’s problem is that they have not been able to connect from deep. The Jazz have the second best three-point field goal shooting percentage in the league but they are shooting an abysmal 24.6% from the three-point line in their first two games. The Jazz clearly miss Bojan Bogdanovic. The sharpshooting small forward had season-ending surgery in May.

• The Lakers’ problem is that they have lost the minutes played by superstars Anthony Davis and Lebron James in their first two games. The plus/minus ratings for James and Davis through two games are -24 and -20, respectively. James and Davis are both shooting under 40% from the field since the season resumed.

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Errant Shooting

While every team in the NBA bubble seems to have no problems lighting up the scoreboard, the Jazz and Lakers stand alone as exceptions. Through the first 12 games of the NBA’s return, OVER bettors have successfully cashed their tickets in every game that did not involve the Jazz or Lakers. A lid has seemingly been placed on the basket for Utah and Los Angeles. In the first two games, the Jazz have averaged 100 points on 41.5% shooting from the field while the Lakers have averaged 97.5 points on 37.1% shooting from the field.

The Jazz have been one of the best three-point shooting teams in the league. They rank second in three-point field goal percentage at 37.9% and eighth in three-pointers made per game at 13. However, the Jazz have only hit 16 of their 65 three-point attempts for 24.6% shooting from distance in their first two games back. The Jazz lost their most accurate and prolific three-point shooter when Bojan Bogdanovic had season-ending surgery in May. Bogdanovic led the Jazz in three-pointers made per game and in percentage at 41.4%.

Lebron James and Anthony Davis are both having MVP-caliber seasons but the Lakers’ superstars have struggled out of the gate. James is averaging just 18 points per game on 38.2% shooting from the field while Davis is averaging only 19 points per game on 38.4% shooting since the season resumed. The Lakers have actually lost the minutes played by James and Davis in their first two games. The plus/minus ratings for James and Davis through two games are -24 and -20, respectively.

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Reasons For Optimism

It’s not all bad news for the Lakers and the Jazz. Both teams managed to squeak out two-point victories in their opening contests before getting blown out in their second games. The Jazz have forced at least 20 turnovers from their opponents in their first two games. The Lakers have also received significant contributions from their much-maligned bench in their first two games. The Lakers’ bench has averaged 42.5 points in their first two games. Kyle Kuzma scored 16 points in both games. Dion Waiters has also hit double-figures in scoring in both games.

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Looking Ahead

Sports bettors may be wondering how much they can wager on the UNDER in Monday night’s game between these two squads. The Lakers won the first two meetings with the Jazz earlier in the season. The totals from the two earlier contests were 181 and 217, respectively. The O/U total for the Jazz-Lakers game is 219. The Lakers are six-point favorites.

Investors should expect the Jazz to continue struggling offensively as Bogdanovic is not coming back. However, the Lakers’ offense should rebound as James and Davis are far too accomplished to stay in an extended slump. The question for the Lakers is whether they will have any motivation in their final six regular season games. They have pretty much clinched the first seed in the Western Conference and with home court advantage no longer being an issue, the Lakers do not have much incentive to put their foot on the gas against opponents. By contrast, the Jazz have a lot to play for as they are locked in a tight battle with the Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets for playoff seeding.

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