Clippers @ Jazz

Who will WIN this matchup?

Los Angeles Clippers (3-1)

@ Utah Jazz (3-1)

Current odds:

Los Angeles Clippers: (+210)

Utah Jazz: (-250)

• The line for this game is Jazz by 6 points.

• Superstar forward Kawhi Leonard seeks to continue his strong start when the Los Angeles Clippers visit the Utah Jazz on Wednesday. Leonard topped 20 points in all four games, including two 30-point efforts, while quickly becoming a force for his new club. Leonard had 30 points, seven rebounds and six assists in Monday’s 111-96 home victory over the Charlotte Hornets, a contest in which Los Angeles held the opponent below 100 for the first time this season. “We’ve got to come in every game with a defensive hat on first, and we did that tonight,” Leonard said afterward. “It’s still early. We’ve got a long road ahead of us. We’re still building chemistry, getting to know each other on the floor. I wouldn’t say we’re there yet. We’ve got to keep going.” Kawhi Leonard is out for the game tonight due to rest according to sports insights. 

• Utah is allowing an average of 91.5 points and squeaked out a 96-95 road win over the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday. “Our defense was solid,” Jazz forward Bojan Bogdanovic told reporters. “The most important thing is it wasn’t a pretty victory but no one cares after the game.”

• Forward Paul George continues to recover from offseason surgery on both shoulders but Los Angeles is putting together good efforts while still developing on-court relationships. “There’s so many new parts on the floor, and I just feel like we’re nowhere near what we’re going to be,” Los Angeles coach Doc Rivers said after the win over Charlotte. “Not even close, and that’s a good thing. But during that time, you’ve still got to win games.” Holdover Lou Williams is doing his thing with 23 points against the Hornets and the three-time Sixth Man of the Year has rattled off four straight 20-point efforts while averaging 22.3 points.

• Center Rudy Gobert established season bests of 15 points and 18 rebounds against the Suns and one thing that stood out was an 11-of-12 performance from the free-throw line. “Apparently it was important because we won by one,” Gobert said in a postgame television interview. “I know I have to knock them down. When I’m aggressive it opens up everything for everyone and I have to keep doing that.” Star guard Donovan Mitchell scored 25 points – his third 20-point outing of the season – and split two free throws with 0.4 seconds left to give Utah the victory.

• The Jazz have won five of the past seven meetings.

• Los Angeles PG Patrick Beverley is averaging 5.8 points on 9-of-28 shooting

• Bogdanovic scored a season-best 29 points against Phoenix and is averaging 27.5 over the past two games.