Utah vs Clippers: Even without Kawhi, Californians could be stronger

After starting the series 0-2 in Salt Lake City, the Clippers won both games on their home court very confidently. The LAC’s defensive play is cool. Will Utah be able to find a decent offensive answer? Here are a few bets on Game 5 of the second round of the playoffs.

Utah are in a tough situation

If Utah had to claw their way to victory in their home games, meaning the Clippers could hope to win at least one game, the Jazz had no chance at all in Staples Center. -26 in Game 3 and -14 in Game 4 of the series, those numbers speak for themselves.

The regular season and the playoffs are very different tournaments. Utah are a stable team that has shown it can go the long distance with efficiency and quality. But in the postseason, other qualities come to the fore. As it turns out, Quin Snyder and his coaching staff haven’t been able to find an answer to the Clippers’ defensive build at all. Do the Jazz have the resources to change their game?

The Jazz’s problems in the three-point perimeter are obvious. If the three-point attack, a strong point guard for a Salt Lake City team which to a large extent helped them clinch first place in the West, is effective, the opponent has made it difficult for the Jazz to attack from close range. So far, no way out of this situation is in sight.

The Clippers showed a very high level of basketball

From the second half of the second game onward, the Clippers excelled on defence. Tyrone Liu and his coaching staff found an antidote to neutralize the power of their opponent’s offence. The so-called hybrid zone, while not preventing the Jazz from still shooting effectively from beyond the arc, hardly allows their opponents any points at all.

In theory, the Clippers can only lose this series by miracle. Or, if Utah manage to turn their defence upside down (the improvement on offence, unfortunately, is out of the question). And the defensive progress of the Jazz will also be a miracle, considering the level of the Clippers players. In Game 4, the leaders, of which there are two for one Donovan Mitchell in Utah, have once again proven themselves. Paul George and Kawhi Leonard each scored 31 points. Marcus Morris scored 25, partially made up for his misses at the end of Game 1 and Game 2.

Expert Betting Tips

Frankly, it’s hard to imagine what the Jazz can offer in response to their opponent. The Clippers’ zone defence seems to be a problem for Quin Snyder’s coaching staff. And the Jazz are unlikely to get better on defence themselves, especially if the Clippers continue to attack as effectively as they did in the third and fourth meetings. We predict that the Clippers will get their first away win against Utah and take the series lead. Yes, even without Kawhi Leonard, who injured his knee in the last game and will not be able to help his team.

Betting options:

• Clippers to win the match for 3.52;
• Clippers to win with a handicap (+7.0) for 2.00;
• Total Under 220.5 for 1.89.