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The NBA Playoff race is in full swing and each game is of increased importance. This is especially the case in the Western Conference, where the fifth and 11th seeds are separated by just four games.
At the heart of the playoff race is the LA Lakers, who are 40-38 this season and have climbed to seventh place in the conference. They will turn their attention to the Utah Jazz, who are 36-42 this season and sit in 12th place in the West.
The matchup is scheduled to tip off at 9 p.m. EST and can be seen on ATT Sportsnet Rocky Mountain, Fubo TV and NBA League Pass. The Lakers are regarded as nine-point favorites with the Jazz sitting at +310 underdogs. The over/under is set at 237.5 and the game will take place in Utah.
Lakers vs. Jazz Prediction
The Jazz got off to a hot start to the season as the Lakers struggled out of the gates, but these teams have swapped momentum in a major way. The Jazz are just 3-7 in their past 10 games and are on a two-game losing streak. In contrast, the Lakers are 7-3 in their past 10 and are riding a three-game winning streak.
LeBron James has returned from injury and helped the team get back on track while Anthony Davis is playing at an extremely high level. The Lakers average 116.7 points per game, which ranks eighth in the NBA, but allow 116.4 points per game, which is the 19th-best rate.
The Jazz are averaging 117.1 points per game, which is the sixth-best in the NBA, but allow 117.8, which ranks 24th. They are led in scoring by Lauri Markkanen, who is the front-runner for Most Improved Player this season and is averaging 25.6 ppg and 8.6 rpg while shooting 39.1% on 3-pointers.
As the saying goes, "The hungry dog runs faster," and that has been seen with this Lakers team. LeBron James has been outspoken about his unwillingness to miss the playoffs and this is showing in the Lakers' play. They looked like a completely different team than they did in the first half of the year and turned into a scary team.
Expect this to continue in this matchup, and for the Lakers to produce a convincing double-digit victory. While the Jazz defeated them in both matchups earlier this year, this is a different Lakers team than when they last faced off. Take the Lakers to continue adding to their playoff resume and further cement their postseason spot.
