LA Clippers vs Utah Jazz Prediction & Match Preview - June 16th, 2021 | Game 5, 2021 NBA Playoffs
It's back to square one for the Utah Jazz after the LA Clippers defended their homecourt and leveled this Western Conference Semifinals series 2-2. Quin Snyder's unit will get a chance to make use of the altitude of Salt Lake City and hit back in Game 5 on Wednesday.
Match Details
Fixture: LA Clippers vs Utah Jazz | Game 5, 2021 NBA Playoffs
Date & Time: Wednesday, June 16th, 10 PM ET (Thursday, 7:30 AM IST)
Venue: Vivint Arena, Salt Lake City, UT
LA Clippers Preview
The LA Clippers have come roaring back into this series on the back of performances by Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, who've scored a combined 127 points in Games 3 and 4. Tyronn Lue's men also regained their long-range efficiency, shooting 46.6% from downtown in the last two matchups.
George has been questioned for his ability to turn up down the stretch, but he proved his haters wrong by closing out Game 4 for the LA Clippers on Monday. With Leonard on the bench, George scored nine of the Clippers' last 11 points to keep the Utah Jazz out of reach. PG13 has scored 31 apiece in each of the last two fixtures.
Marcus Morris found his rhythm in Game 4 as well by scoring 24 points on 6-of-11 shooting, which included five three-pointers. Morris was the LA Clippers' most efficient three-point shooter during the regular season but had gone 1-of-16 from distance in the first three matches of the series against the Utah Jazz.
Key Player - Kawhi Leonard
Kawhi Leonard was the best player on both ends of the court in Games 3 and 4, scoring 34 and 31 points respectively and defending the paint with aplomb. Leonard's constant movement and nifty dribbles have made it difficult for Rudy Gobert to contain him. The LA Clippers' talisman is averaging 27.3 points, 7.5 rebounds and four assists through four games against the Utah Jazz.
LA Clippers Predicted Lineup
G Reggie Jackson, G Paul George, F Kawhi Leonard, F Marcus Morris Sr., C Nicolas Batum
Utah Jazz Preview
The Utah Jazz have simply been unable to keep up with the offensive explosiveness of the LA Clippers in the last two matchups. A slow start to Game 4 left them playing catch-up the rest of the way as they succumbed to a second straight loss.
The Utah Jazz are finally starting to miss Mike Conley, who's yet to feature in this series and remains questionable with a mild hamstring strain. In his absence, Rudy Gobert has also found it difficult to score freely without a pick-and-roll partner, despite doing his best on the defensive end.
Jordan Clarkson also slowed down on the road. Clarkson managed a combined 22 points in two games at Staples Center, two fewer than the 24 points he scored in Game 2. Joe Ingles' performances have been encouraging, though. He's scored 19 points apiece in each of the last three ties between the Utah Jazz and LA Clippers.
Key Player - Donovan Mitchell
It's largely been a one-man show for the Utah Jazz of late, with Donovan Mitchell leading the line for them. Mitchell has scored 30 or more points in each of the four games against the LA Clippers in this series. In fact, Mitchell has scored 30 points in six straight playoff outings and is averaging 32.9 points this postseason. He'll have to be at his best again if the Jazz are to dictate proceedings in Game 5.
Utah Jazz Predicted Lineup
G Joe Ingles, G Donovan Mitchell, F Bojan Bogdanovic, F Royce O'Neale, C Rudy Gobert
Clippers vs Jazz Match Prediction
The LA Clippers may feel that they have all the momentum, but the Utah Jazz haven't been entirely bad in the last two matchups. One slow quarter in each of those games took the result away from them, but Quin Snyder's men have played solid basketball in general. They're moving the ball quickly, shooting the ball above 41% from deep and will be buoyed by the home fans cheering them on. Expect the Jazz to dominate Game 5.
Where to watch Clippers vs Jazz?
National telecast of the game will be carried by TNT in the United States. Fans in India can catch this fixture on Star Sports. You can also live stream the same on the NBA League Pass.