The Phoenix Suns have already made it to the NBA’s Western Conference Finals after sweeping the Denver Nuggets right out of the playoffs. Newly minted MVP Nikola Jokic got frustrated in the third quarter of Game 4 and was whistled for a marginal Flagrant 2, earning an ejection, and things went downhill from there. In the other semifinal, the Utah Jazz lead the L.A. Clippers, two games to one, after the Clippers won Game 3 at home.
Let’s take a look at your best NBA betting choice for the showdown.
NBA News: Western Conference Games (June 15)
Tuesday, June 15
Utah Jazz at L.A. Clippers
(10:00 pm ET, TNT) | Jazz lead, 2-1
The Clippers needed stellar games from both Kawhi Leonard and Paul George in Game 3, and they both delivered. Leonard put up 34 points, and George chipped in 31, making it the second time that both players have hit 30 or more points in the same postseason game. George had only shot 34.3 percent from the floor in Games 1 and 2 combined, but he went 12 of 24 in Game 3, making 6 of 10 from behind the arc. His best quarter was the second, when he had 13 points, eight coming in a 13-2 run that put the Clippers up 16.
Leonard had 24 points in the second half, making it four career playoff games with at least 30 points, 10 boards and five assists. The onslaught from George and Leonard helped the Clippers overcome a 30-point night from Donovan Mitchell, who led the Jazz and now has five consecutive 30+ point games. The Clippers got another strong night from their worker bees, as Nicolas Batum and Reggie Jackson put up 17 points each. L.A. finally caught fire from outside as a team, going 19 of 36 from downtown with a lot of open looks.
For the Jazz, Joe Ingles put up 19 points, and Jordan Clarkson scored 14. Utah was 19 of 44 from three-point land, but just 17 of 40 inside the arc thanks to the stiff zone defense the Clippers employed. Utah coughed the ball up 16 times, leading to 24 points for the Clippers.
The biggest question for Utah has to do with Mitchell’s ankle, as he appeared to roll it in the middle of the fourth quarter. He did not return, with the game out of reach. He also didn’t score until almost midway through the second quarter, but he did have 16 straight for the Jazz at that point. It was the first game in his last 23 when he didn’t score at all in the first quarter.
Rudy Gobert had a quiet 12 points and 10 rebounds, and Mike Conley (hamstring) missed his third consecutive game. If Mitchell is slowed by that ankle, the Clippers could make this series even.
The Jazz need to get their defense back up and running; during the regular season, they had one of the top defensive units in the league, and they did not give up 132 points (which is what the Clippers hit on Saturday) at all this season. The Clippers had way too many open shots from the outside. They come in as five-point favorites at home. It’s hard not to imagine the Jazz coming out and playing much better defense than they played in Game 3, and it’s rare that George and Leonard have both been hot two games in a row. I see the Jazz reasserting themselves on defense and taking back control — assuming that Mitchell can play.
Final Prediction:
Jazz 114, Clippers 110
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