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The Luka Doncic era dawns when the prolific guard takes the floor for the LA Lakers at the Crypto.com Arena on Monday. In a trade the NBA world didn't see coming, the 25-year-old was transported from Dallas to LA in the blink of an eye as the Mavericks offered a deal that was simply too good to pass up for the Lakers.
Doncic's blockbuster trade for Anthony Davis is more than just franchises swapping their cornerstones. Both teams made the move with enough reasons in the bank and for the Purple and Gold in particular, it was two-pronged. One, give LeBron James who continues to play Space Jam-style basketball a bonafide chance to earn his fifth championship. Two, secure the Lakers' future for the next few years and maximize the chances of Doncic giving them more titles while carving his legacy.
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Win or lose, all eyes will be on the Slovenian as he plays in a team that works well in his favor, sans the center that the Lakers have been actively shopping (it doesn't help their case that the Mark Williams trade was rescinded). Doncic has a good relationship with head coach JJ Redick, who he played with during their time on the Mavs, his favorite hooper in LeBron James, and familiar faces who he worked with in Christian Wood and Dorian Finney-Smith.
The Lakers are favorites to get past the struggling Utah outfit, and it's not just because of their latest superstar taking the hardwood. Barring the unforeseen loss to the Philadelphia 76ers during their six-game Grammy trip, LA has been playing quality ball winning their last five games and nine of the last ten. They come off a 124-117 win over the Indiana Pacers, courtesy of Austin Reaves' career-high.
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The same can't be said for the Jazz who have the second worst-record in the West with a dismal 12-39 run so far. They come off a two-game losing streak with the hopes of bagging a win in the next two games they play — both against LA.
This will be the third matchup between the two teams with the Lakers leading the four-game season series 2-0. One of the better highlights was Dalton Knecht dropping 37 points on an impressive 9-12 shooting from beyond the arc. With the Williams trade up in smoke, the rookie returns to the Lakers fold, though his participation on Monday is in doubt.
Utah Jazz vs LA Lakers Preview, Predicted Starting Lineups, Betting Tips. Odds, and Prediction
The Utah Jazz vs LA Lakers matchup tips off at 10:30 pm ET. Live coverage will be on ESPN. Local sports networks SportsNet LA and KJZZ will televise the game. Fubo TV (regional restrictions may apply) and the NBA app stream the game live.
Here are the odds as listed at the time of writing:
Note: Odds are subject to change closer to tip-off.
Utah Jazz vs LA Lakers preview
The Lakers may have Luka Doncic, but they still have the glaring issue of having a center who can round up their roster. Nothing against Jaxson Hayes who in all fairness has held up okay since the Davis trade, but he will have a tough time against the likes of Walker Kessler and Lauri Markkanen. Utah's offense has been their strength, but their opponents have the firepower to match their buckets. The hosts will need defense to shore up if they intend to win this contest.
LA is 16th on scoring offense averaging 112.8 points per game and 112.8 points per 100 possessions. They are sixth in field goal offense with 48.3% and 15th in 3-point offense with 35.8%. They are poor in offensive rebounds averaging just 9.1 per game (28th in the NBA this season). In comparison, the Jazz are a top-10 unit on that front averaging 12.3 Off. rebounds per game. They are 18th in 3-point percentage (35.4%) and are 20th in field goal offense making 45.7% from the field.
The LA Lakers close into the top 10 in scoring defense. They are 11th with 112.1 points per game and allowing 111.2 points per 100 possessions. The Jazz are at the bottom five averaging 119.1 points and conceding 116.7 points per 100 possessions.
Utah Jazz vs LA Lakers Predicted Starting Lineups
LeBron James (left ankle soreness), Luka Dončić (left calf strain), and Dalton Knecht (personal) are questionable ahead of the showdown. Maxi Kleber (right foot fracture), Christian Wood (surgery recovery), and Cam Reddish (personal) are out. Bronny James (left forearm muscle strain) is doubtful.
The Jazz will be without KJ Martin (reconditioning), Colin Sexton (left ankle sprain), and Taylor Hendricks (right fibula fracture).
Utah Jazz vs LA Lakers Betting Tips
Jordan Clarkson comes into the matchup with an o/u of -108/-110 on points. Lauri Markkanen is -115/-125 on points and rebounds. For the Lakers, LeBron James is -111/-110 on points and rebounds, while Luka Doncic is -110/-115 on points and boards.
Utah Jazz vs LA Lakers Prediction
The LA Lakers need to keep winning before heading into the All-Star weekend. They play the Jazz once again this week before the break, and a solid series sweep sees them consolidate their position to finish in the top five. However, sleeping on the struggling Jazz is still an unwise move. Take the Lakers to win with Luka Doncic making his statement early on.
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