He’s back…maybe?
LeBron James is currently listed as a game-time decision for Tuesday’s Lakers-Jazz matchup. The King has missed the first month of the season as he deals with sciatica. His return would offer a massive boost for Los Angeles, currently 10-4 in the top-heavy Western Conference.
With or without James, LA has a clear advantage in this game. Can the visitors shock Hollywood en route to an upset win? Below is my prediction and pick for Tuesday’s game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Utah Jazz.
The Lakers are 12.5-point favorites (-115) over the Jazz on DraftKings Sportsbook. Los Angeles is favored at -675 on the moneyline. The total is set at 238.5 points.
Jazz vs. Lakers prediction, preview
We’ll start with the Jazz, who are looking to make a major statement on the road. This is clearly a rebuilding squad at 5-8. Still, this group looks more competitive than last season’s 17-win embarrassment. Leading the charge has been Lauri Markkanen, averaging a team-leading 30.6 points per game on 48% shooting. He’s joined by guard Keyonte George, currently in the midst of a breakout season. The third-year pro has posted 22.2 points, 3.9 rebounds and 7.0 assists per game, all career-highs. Utah is averaging 118.9 points per game on offense, 11th-best in the NBA.
With that being said, this group’s Achilles heel is defense. This was already an easy team to score on prior to Walker Kessler’s season-ending shoulder injury. Without their rim protector, the Jazz have looked vulnerable down low. Opponents are scoring 123.7 points per game against Utah, third-worst in basketball. Backup center Jusuf Nurkic has done an admirable job, but he’s not exactly a defensive stopper. Fellow bigs Kyle Filipowski (wrist) and Taylor Hendricks (hamstring) are both dealing with injuries.
Considering they’ve done so without LeBron, the Lakers have been aggressive at scoring inside. 52.5% of Los Angeles’ points have come from inside the arc, fourth-most in the NBA. Luka Doncic has been nothing short of dominant this season. Through ten games, the Slovenian is averaging 34.4 points, 8.9 rebounds and 8.9 assists. He’s joined by back court mate Austin Reaves, a potential first-time All-Star. The guard has produced 28.3 points, 5.1 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game.
Still, the Purple and Gold aren’t lighting up the stat sheet by any means. LA ranks 16th in offensive rating (116.9) and 17th in defensive rating (115.0). Still, this team has had to battle through several injuries to its most important players. James’ return would give the Lakers an impact presence in the front court. LeBron has spent the past few weeks in the G-League, gradually ramping up to NBA action. Even at less than 100%, the future Hall of Famer would make an already dangerous offense even deadlier.
Jazz vs. Lakers pick, best bet
If the Jazz were fully healthy, this would be a far closer matchup than it appears on paper. However, a litany of injuries has left Utah’s front court incredibly thin. That’s bad news, with or without James on the floor. Los Angeles’ power forward duo of Rui Hachimura and Jared Vanderbilt have what it takes to slow down Markkanen. On the flip side, a young, untested Jazz back court will have its hands full with Doncic and Reaves. The Lakers should pull away late in this one.
