LA Lakers vs Utah Jazz Prediction & Match Preview - August 3rd, 2020
Match Details
Fixture: LA Lakers vs Utah Jazz
Date & Time: Monday, August 3rd, 2020, 9:00 PM ET (Tuesday 6:30 AM IST)
Venue: The Arena (WWOS), Disney World, Orlando, FL
The top seed in the Western Conference, the LA Lakers, take on the fourth-seeded Utah Jazz. The Lakers will hope to win the game and cement their position at the top of the table, while the Utah Jazz will hope to move upwards in the Western Conference standings.
LA Lakers Preview
Despite losing rather heavily to the Toronto Raptors, the LA Lakers should not be too disheartened. With their spot at the top of the Western Conference virtually confirmed, the LA Lakers will be focusing on building team chemistry and working on their offense for the minutes when LeBron James sits on the bench.
Anthony Davis struggled against the elite interior defense of the Raptors and scored only 14 points in the game, while LeBron James had a quiet 20-point game himself. The major positive for the Lakers was the bench led by Kyle Kuzma, Alex Caruso and Dion Waiters, which made quite an impact on the court.
LeBron James has had a slightly underwhelming start in the NBA bubble so far, and he will be hoping to turn things around in the coming games. The LA Lakers will be raring to go and get back to winning ways against the Utah Jazz.
Key player - Anthony Davis
Anthony Davis has been integral to the Lakers' defense all season, and his presence in the interior has made the LA Lakers one of the best defensive teams in the league. Davis has also been critical to the Lakers' offense, and averages 26.6 points and 9.3 rebounds a game this season.
This game will also see Davis match up against Rudy Gobert, who is the reigning Defensive Player of the Year. The victor of this particular battle on the court will provide a great boost to their team.
LA Lakers predicted lineup
LeBron James, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Danny Green, Anthony Davis, JaVale McGee
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Utah Jazz Preview
The Utah Jazz have not had a great start in the NBA bubble. After a loss to the Phoenix Suns in their first scrimmage, they turned things around against the Miami Heat. However, they were crushed by the Oklahoma City Thunder 110-94 in their first game back.
Utah Jazz star Donovan Mitchell's struggles continued as he shot just 5-15 en route to 13 points, and went 0-4 from beyond the arc. Jordan Clarkson had troubles shooting as well, with 11 points after a 4-17 shooting effort. Rudy Gobert seemed to be in good form as he scored 10 points and grabbed 7 boards.
The Utah Jazz have struggled to fall back into rhythm since the pandemic cut the season short. They will have to put their best foot forward in order to beat the LA Lakers in the upcoming game.
Key player - Donovan Mitchell
Donovan Mitchell has been the leader of the Utah Jazz ever since he got into the NBA in 2017. He has averaged 24 points a game this season, and has led the Utah Jazz to a 42-24 record this season. Mitchell has struggled shooting from the floor since the season restarted, which is a cause for concern for the Utah Jazz.
His form will be crucial to the Utah Jazz offense that revolves around his scoring ability. It will also be very interesting to watch him match up against LeBron James in this upcoming game.
Utah Jazz predicted lineup
Mike Conley, Donovan Mitchell, Joe Ingles, Royce O'Neal, Rudy Gobert
LA Lakers vs Utah Jazz Match Prediction
The LA Lakers are expected to win this game against the Utah Jazz fairly easily. Having beaten them twice this season, the Lakers will hope to take the regular season score to 3-0.
The Utah Jazz will need Donovan Mitchell to play at an elite level on the offense, with Rudy Gobert taking on the defensive assignment of guarding LA Lakers superstar Anthony Davis
The LA Lakers will hope to keep their bench production going. LeBron James could use this game as an opportunity to get back into a scoring form and secure an easy win for the LA Lakers.
Where to watch Lakers vs Jazz?
Local coverage of the match can be seen on AT&T SportsNet and Spectrum SportsNet. The same will be broadcast nationwide in the US on ESPN. Fans in India can watch the game live on Sony Six. You can also live stream the fixture via NBA League Pass.
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