Clippers vs Jazz Game 2 | NBA Betting Odds

Without All-Star point guard Mike Conley, the Utah Jazz were still able to rally past the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 1 of their Western Conference playoff series. It’s not likely that Conley will play in Game 2, either, but the Jazz are favored again on the NBA odds.

How to Bet Clippers at Jazz NBA Odds & TV Info

When: Thursday, 10 PM ET
Where: Vivint Smart Home Arena
TV: ESPN
Stream: ESPN app
Radio:com

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The Clippers nearly stole Game 1 in Utah on Tuesday but lost 112-109. LA was in control for most of the game and had a strong opening half, but the fatigue from closing out hard-fought seven-game series with the Mavericks seemed to catch up to them late.

“We came out in the third quarter a little sluggish, not making the right play and not making the right shots, and they got going offensively,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said after the game. “I thought [Utah’s] physicality in the second half picked up, picking up full court, getting to us and being physical, and we didn’t match that physicality on the offensive end.”

Kawhi Leonard scored 23 points on 9-of-19 shooting, making just one three-pointer, along with seven rebounds. The Clippers finished the regular season shooting 41.3 percent from the three-point line, which led the league and was the fourth-best percentage all-time in a regular season. But they were 16-for-4 2 from deep Tuesday, only 31.8 percent. L.A. didn’t make the timely ones down the stretch and had a three-pointer blocked at the buzzer to seal their fate.

Paul George had 20 points and 10 rebounds but was just 4-for-17 – he somewhat salvaged his night by making 9-of-10 from the charity stripe. Luke Kennard totaled 18 points in 29 minutes. Kennard factored heavily in the rotation, continuing where he left off in Game 7 against the Mavericks. Kennard was a DNP-CD in four games during Round 1. After a huge Game 7 effort vs. Dallas, Marcus Morris had just nine points in 33 minutes.

After Reggie Jackson fouled out, Lue elected to finish the game with Rajon Rondo at point guard instead of Patrick Beverley. Rondo finished the game with five points, six assists and five rebounds in 28 minutes of play. He attempted just three field goals, hitting one of them (a three-pointer). The Jazz were willing to go under on screens with Rondo as the ball-handler, as they knew he would be hesitant to shoot from deep. They were right. Beverley was 0-3 from the field and did not score in six minutes, but was a +6 in the short stint he played.

“It’s what I felt was right for our team,” Lue said.

Why Bet on Utah? | NBA Betting Odds

The top-seeded Jazz trailed by as many as 14 points in Game 1 before rallying and overtaking the Clippers in the fourth quarter for the 112-109 win. Utah took the lead for good on a 21-9 run bookended by 3-pointers from Bojan Bogdanovic. His second one gave the Jazz a 103-93 lead with 5:22 remaining. ill, the Clippers trailed by only 3 points and had the ball for the final possession of the game but Rudy Gobert blocked Marcus Morris’ three-point attempt at the buzzer.

The Jazz won without All-Star point guard Mike Conley, who sat with a hamstring injury. He’s iffy for Game 2. Conley was tremendous in the Jazz’s first four games against the Grizzlies, as he averaged 20 points and 10.3 assists while shooting over 53% from behind the 3-point line.

Donovan Mitchell was the star for Utah with 45 points on 16-of-30 shooting from the floor with five assists and three rebounds. After trailing by 13 at the half, Mitchell came out and opened the second half on a 10-2 run by himself to cut into the Clipper lead and from that point on he and the Jazz never looked back. The Jazz are now 5-0 this postseason with Mitchell in the lineup. Mitchell has already matched the great Karl Malone for most 40-point playoff games in franchise history, with four; Malone did that in 193 career playoff games to Mitchell’s 28.

Over his last 12 playoff games — seven last year, five this year — Mitchell is averaging 34 points, five rebounds and five assists and making nearly half of his overall shots and 3-pointers.

Joe Ingles got the start for the injured Conley and had just eight points on 3-for-12 shooting but had seven assists and three rebounds. In five playoff games this postseason, Conley averaged 8.6 assists per game, so in that aspect, Ingles did a pretty good job filling the void in Conley’s absence. He also had just one turnover in 32 minutes.

Utah also got 18 points apiece from Bogdanovic and Jordan Clarkson. Bogdanovic shot 6-of-14 from the floor (3-of-6 3-pointers) and added five rebounds. All of Clarkson’s made shots came from beyond the arc as he shot 6-of-18 from the floor (6-of-14 3-pointers).