by Alma Bean
Feature Image: Photo by Spenser Heaps of Deseret News.
The Utah Jazz (7-3) will take on the Los Angeles Clippers (5-4) in their final game of a three-game road trip.
What to look for
Riding a three-game win streak, the Los Angeles Clippers have some rather big questions to answer on the court. How does a team that ranks last in points-per-game (102) plan to beat Utah, who is ranked fifth in the league (117)? With Kawhi Leonard missing all but two games this season due to injury, Paul George has taken matters into his own hands. Averaging 23.8 points-per-game and 4.9 assists, George tries to get his team some good looks while helping out offensively. Though George has a high offensive value, he averages 3.9 turnovers per game. Ivica Zubac will bring trouble to Utah in the paint as he averages 11.6 rebounds per game, which is fourth in the NBA. Zubac is also first in the league with 2.8 blocks per game.
Utah will continue to live off the doubt the NBA has in them. For a team that is supposedly tanking this season, they are currently third in the West. Lauri Markkanen and Jordan Clarkson combined are averaging near 40 points-per-game, each producing highlights galore for Utah fans this season.
Mike Conley is currently averaging 7.4 assists per game, the most in his 16-year career. Markkanen has also had a double-double in five games this season and Utah remains undefeated when he achieves that stat line. Walker Kessler may look to be a factor in this matchup due to his size and versatility. When Zubac is off the floor, Nicolas Batum or Marcus Morris Sr. both play the center position to stretch the floor. This may end up making Kessler obsolete for the game or prove that he’s a rookie that needs to be on the NBA’s radar.
Injury Report
Los Angeles – Kawhi Leonard: Out (knee), Luke Kennard: Out (chest), Robert Covington: Game-Time Decision (illness)
Utah – Leandro Bolmaro: Out (health & safety protocol), Jarred Vanderbilt: Questionable (hip)
How to Watch
Tonight’s matchup between Los Angeles and Utah will be a later tipoff at 8:00 p.m. MT on AT&T SportsNet.
The Hive Sports 
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