The Los Angeles Lakers are struggling but must put all that behind if they are to beat the Utah Jazz. The latest news, stats and injury reports point to the Lakers losing again, hence why they are underdogs on the NBA odds. As far as pulling upsets, the Lakers couldn’t pick a better night than Martin Luther King Day.
Utah Jazz (29-14) vs Los Angeles Lakers (21-22)
LA Must Trust Westbrook
An NBA betting preview on the Los Angeles Lakers must include Russell Westbrook. As much as we’d like to be unique and analyze their chances without Westbrook, his play is more paramount to their success than LeBron James’ or any other player.
Russell Westbrook over his last 3 games:
8 points (2-14 FG)
6 points (2-12 FG)
9 points (4-14 FG) pic.twitter.com/aX6nfSGfho— NBA Central (@TheNBACentral) January 13, 2022
The good news is that Westbrook has not been as turnover-prone as he used to be, averaging just 0.8 turnovers in his last five games. But the bad news is that he’s only shooting 29.7 percent from the field. The Lakers are just 5-9 when Westbrook shoots 40 percent or worse and it contributes to why this team is just 17-26 against the spread (ATS).
James can rack up as many points and assists as he can, but he will need his running mate to play much better. The Lakers are already much worse on defense so they will need to win with their offense.
Jazz Defense Has Been Quiet
Speaking of a defense that has deteriorated, the Utah Jazz are not the same defensive juggernaut they were last season. Utah ranks just 12th in the NBA in defensive rating thanks to a slow start this new year. The Jazz are 25th through eight games.
Utah has suffered a 3-5 record as a result even if its offense is still firing away. If the Jazz can’t shore up their defense, it will be hard to bet online for them as favorites. The team is just 19-22 ATS as chalk and 4-6 in their last 10 games.
Still, this is a top-three team in the NBA and is mostly healthy so they will most likely get it together.
Utah Jazz vs Los Angeles Lakers Head to Head
| Utah | Stat | Los Angeles |
| 4-6 | Record | 6-4 |
| 3-7-0 | Point Spread | 7-3-0 |
| 4-6-0 | Over/Under | 4-6-0 |
| 105 | Average Score | 104.3 |
| 53.6 | Half Time | 50.6 |
Utah Jazz vs Los Angeles Lakers Game Information
Date: Monday
Time: 10:30 p.m. ET
Location: Crypto.com Arena
Utah Jazz vs Los Angeles Lakers Live Stream: NBA Game Pass
Utah Jazz vs Los Angeles Lakers Betting Lines
| Utah | Los Angeles | |
| -190 | Moneyline | +165 |
| -4½ (-110) | Point Spread | +4½ (-110) |
| 230½ (-110o) | Total | 230½ (-110u) |
Utah Jazz vs Los Angeles Lakers Prediction
We got burned the last time we picked the Lakers but that was a road game against a angry Denver. This time, the Lakers are taking on a Jazz team that is at its lowest point defensively. It will be a prime opportunity for Westbrook and Co. to right the ship on offense.
The Lakers are also 4-1 ATS in their last five home games against Utah. Westbrook is 16-8 and James is 7-4 against Rudy Gobert’s Jazz. It may get ugly at times, but the Lakers will pull off this upset. You may just have to sweat it on the online sportsbook.
Pick: Los Angeles Lakers +165
The Lakers play one of the fastest paces and have one of the worst defenses, which is a recipe for games going over. It’s why 16 of their 25 home games have gone over. Los Angeles is giving up the second-most points in 2022 at 120 and Utah isn’t far behind, giving up 115.3, the eighth-most.
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