LA Lakers vs Utah Jazz Prediction: Lakers improving but have miles to go

The NBA Regular Season has brought to us various surprises and we have seen even low-tier teams pick up their games, San Antonio Spurs is one of the examples. However, the season is still blooming and it can’t be said that these squads will sustain a similar rhythm moving forward in a packed schedule where both injuries and fatigue will mount up. Then there are teams still hunting for a semblance of rhythm, one of those teams Los Angeles Lakers will take on the Utah Jazz.

The Lakers come into the game after nabbing a 120:117 Overtime win against the Pelicans as Lonnie Walker IV dipped in 28 points in what was a dunkfest for him. The Lakers got lucky in the end, they blew a 15+ points lead, and after they were down by three with 1.6 seconds to go Dyson Daniels of the Pelicans missed the two free-throws and Matt Ryan made a tough game-tying triple. They played much better in OT and got the win. In that game, LeBron James was forcing the issue, killing a lot of time as the ball-handler and didn’t look 100%.

The three-point shooting for the Lakers has been off and they are among the worst long-range shooting teams, in the last game, Ryan and Lonnie combined for eight threes while LeBron shot 0/7 from deep. Their defense has been miles ahead of last season and with Anthony Davis, the perimeter defense of Patrick Beverley, an ever-growing Austin Reaves, and an active Troy Brown Jr, at least the defense is set for now. The move to bring Russell Westbrook off the bench has paid off and the team has become an elite rebounding unit. The Lakers still look like a struggling squad but they have shown more promise than before.

The Jazz comes into this game after losing a close 100-103 game against the Dallas Mavericks despite a 22 points performance by Jordan Clarkson. The Jazz has begun the season on a promising note, having beaten tough squads like the Nuggets, Timberwolves, Pelicans, and Grizzlies, which means they have beaten squads with a reputable record. What has made Jazz special is that they don’t have a star player but they have made a lot of hay with the current set-up, using a great brand of team basketball.

Lauri Markkanen has taken a leap and has been a phenomenal scorer and rebounder at the four. The Guard rotations have a variety; shot-creators, long-range shooters, playmakers, and inside scorers. Thus the combination of Clarkson, Conley, Beasley, and Sexton at the guard has a lot of depth. Jarred Vanderbilt and Kelly Olynyk have given hustle in the frontline. Overall, they have a lot of promise but it will be tough to sustain the rhythm in a long long season.

• Lakers: OUT: Cole Swider, Dennis Schroeder, Thomas Bryant. QUESTIONABLE: Anthony Davis. PROBABLE: LeBron James;
• Jazz: QUESTIONABLE: Simone Fontecchio. OUT: Leandro Bolmaro.

• Expected Points Range: LeBron James(25+ Points), Anthony Davis(20-26 Points), Jordan Clarkson(19-25 Points), Lonnie Walker(18-25 Points), Lauri Markkanen (20-26 Points);
• Expected Rebounds Range: Lauri Markkanen(9-13 Rebounds), LeBron James(9-13 Rebounds), Anthony Davis(10+ Rebounds);
• Expected Assists Range: LeBron James(8-11 Assists), Mike Conley(7-10 Assists), Russell Westbrook(7-10 Assists).

The Lakers have been playing better but they are struggling on the offensive end, turning the ball over a ton of times. However, the Lakers’ defense has been in a great rhythm while their rebounding has been amazing too. Offensively, the Jazz has been in a great groove while their defense has been in a decent knick too. However, I am still a bit skeptical about their long-term success. For the Lakers, they are still not aspiring much confidence but I believe they can pick up their game. I believe the total points range can be 213-223.