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The LA Lakers will host the Utah Jazz for the second consecutive NBA matchup after they secured a solid victory over Quin Snyder's men on April 17th.
Both teams played without their full rosters. The LA Lakers (35-22, fifth in the West) were without LeBron James and Anthony Davis, while the Utah Jazz (on the second night of a back-to-back) rested Rudy Gobert, Mike Conley and Derrick Favors.
Andre Drummond led the LA Lakers' previous win over the Utah Jazz with a solid outing of 27 points and eight rebounds.
The Lakers defeated the Jazz 127-115, tying the regular-season series between the two teams at one apiece.
Utah Jazz vs LA Lakers prediction
Quin Snyder is expected to add Gobert, Conley and Favor back to the starting lineup. However, the Utah Jazz will not have star guard Donovan Mitchell, who injured his ankle in his side's win over the Indiana Pacers on April 16th.
The LA Lakers, on the other hand, have already played 15 games without LeBron James and Anthony Davis. They have also missed Kyle Kuzma and Andre Drummond on several nights. The Lakers still have a 7-8 record without their two superstars and have maintained their lead in the NBA in Defensive Rating.
The Jazz could be favored against the Lakers on Monday as they try to stay at the top of the Western Conference and the entire NBA.
Utah Jazz vs LA Lakers combined starting 5
Point Guard - Mike Conley | Shooting Guard - Dennis Schroder | Small Forward - Jordan Clarkson | Power Forward - Andre Drummond | Center - Rudy Gobert.
Mike Conley is enjoying a great run with the Utah Jazz during the 2020-21 NBA season. He is currently putting up 16.4 points and 5.7 assists per game, with 45/42/85 shooting splits.
Dennis Schroder has been impressive for the LA Lakers. He is averaging 15.4 points and 5.5 assists per game in his first season with the franchise. He has been a solid addition to the Lakers' backcourt and has put up 17 points and eight assists per game in the last 15 matches without James and AD.
Jordan Clarkson, on the other hand, has been one of the best pieces on the Utah Jazz's bench. He is averaging 17.4 points in the current campaign and has made 42% of his field goals as well as 35% of his three-pointers. He also has a league-leading 94.6% free-throw percentage for the Utah Jazz.
Andre Drummond dominated the Utah Jazz in his sixth game with the LA Lakers on April 17th. His 27-point, eight-rebound performance was impressive, to say the least.
Drummond is averaging 16.5 points and 12.6 rebounds per game this season (25 games with the Cleveland Cavaliers and six with the LA Lakers). He played around 24 minutes per game in six appearances with the Lakers, putting up 12 points and nine rebounds in each game.
Rudy Gobert is expected to play in Monday's game, and his defensive presence will be impactful for the Utah Jazz.
The Frenchman, who is a strong candidate for the Defensive Player of the Year award, is posting 14.4 points, 13.6 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game. He is also leading the NBA in Defensive Rating and Defensive Win Shares.
Also read: 3 LA Lakers players who stepped up in the absence of LeBron James and Anthony Davis
