LA Clippers vs Utah Jazz Prediction & Match Preview - January 1, 2021 | NBA Season 2020-21
The LA Clippers will face off against the Utah Jazz in a Western Conference matchup. The LA Clippers have had a solid start to their 2020-21 season, winning four of their first five games. The Jazz have played four games thus far and are currently 2-2, having lost their last game to the Phoenix Suns. Both teams will be eager to build momentum in the very competitive Western Conference.
Match Details
Fixture: Los Angeles Clippers vs Utah Jazz - NBA Regular Season Game
Date & Time: Friday, January 1st, 2021 - 9 PM ET
Venue: Vivint Smart Home Arena, Salt Lake City, Utah
Check out the complete 2020-21 NBA schedule right here.
_________________________________________________________________
LA Clippers Preview
The LA Clippers are one of the powerhouses of the West once again. Off to a very strong 4-1 start, the Clippers have impressed in victories over some of the strongest teams in the league. The Clippers pride themselves on their defensive prowess and have been shutting down offenses thus far. The LA Clippers have won by double digits in three of their four wins this season and will be hoping to have the same outcome against the Utah Jazz on Friday.
Key Player - Kawhi Leonard
Kawhi Leonard has provided the spark for the LA Clippers on the offensive end thus far. Leonard is averaging 25 points this season and has been as dominant as ever on the defensive end, averaging three steals per game. Leonard finished with 28 points, seven assists, and three rebounds in the Clippers' last game; a 128-105 win at home against the Portland Trail Blazers.
Kawhi Leonard is still one of the most efficient scorers in the league in his tenth season. Leonard is an established star in the NBA and continues to prove his worth on the Clippers night-in and night-out.
LA Clippers Predicted Lineup
G Patrick Beverley, G Paul George, F Kawhi Leonard, F Nicolas Batum, C Serge Ibaka
_________________________________________________________________
Utah Jazz Preview
The Utah Jazz are coming off of a tough home loss to the Phoenix Suns. The Jazz battled for the entire game but were unable to outlast the Suns. With the loss, the Jazz fell to 2-2 on the season and will be hoping to regain momentum on Friday against the LA Clippers.
Key Player - Donovan Mitchell
Donovan Mitchell hit a game-winning shot for the Utah Jazz two games ago to secure their victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder with seven seconds remaining. Mitchell has been clutch in the final seconds before and is developing into an all-around star in the NBA.
Thus far in the season, Donovan Mitchell has averaged 20.3 points and five assists per game. In his last game against the Phoenix Suns, Mitchell scored 23 points with six rebounds in an 11-point loss. If the Jazz are going to win on Friday, Mitchell will need a big-time performance against one of the best defenses in the league, the LA Clippers.
Utah Jazz Predicted Lineup
G Mike Conley, G Donovan Mitchell, F Bojan Bogdanovic, F Royce O'Neale, C Rudy Gobert
Clippers vs. Jazz Prediction
The LA Clippers have looked very strong aside from their one disastrous 51-point loss against the Dallas Mavericks. After their positive response to being embarrassed, I think it is safe to call that just a bad game and nothing to be worried about for Clippers fans. With that, the Clippers should be able to continue their hot start to the season and secure a victory over the Utah Jazz.
Where to watch Clippers vs. Jazz?
The national broadcast of this game will be available on NBA TV. For local coverage, the game will be available on AT&T Sportsnet Rocky Mountain and Fox Sports Prime Ticket. You can also live stream the game via the NBA League Pass.