Utah Jazz at LA Clippers Game 6 Pick

Utah Jazz (52-20 SU, 41-31 ATS) at Los Angeles Clippers (47-25, 39-32), 6/18/21

When: 10 pm ET Friday, June 18

Where: Staples Center

TV: ESPN

Point spread: Utah -1.5/LAC -1.5

Total: 220.5

After pulling off an unexpected victory in Game 5 to take a 3-2 lead in this Western Conference semifinals series, the Clippers shoot for their first-ever conference finals appearance when the teams meet for Game 6 Friday night at Staples Center. Playing without Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles pulled off a bit of a shocker Wednesday, winning a big game on the road. Now the Clips get a chance to win the series at home. Los Angeles opened this series as a +115 underdog to win it; now LA is chalked at -165 to advance, with the Jazz getting +140 to come back and win the next two games. Here’s how we homeworked Game 6 with our free NBA playoffs betting pick.

NBA Playoffs Betting Odds

The NBA playoffs betting market opened the Clippers as home dogs of +1.5 points for this Game 6 with an over/under of right around 218.5. Early betting action then bumped that total a bucket to 220.5.

Those bettors out there thinking Los Angeles might win this game outright could find a price of +105 on the Game 6 money line at Intertops.

Jazz-Clippers NBA Playoffs Betting Preview

Los Angeles leads this series three games to two after taking Game 5 Wednesday night 119-111. Playing without star F Kawhi Leonard, the Clippers trailed Utah 65-60 at the half Wednesday but used a 32-18 third quarter to take a 92-83 lead into the fourth. LA allowed the Jazz to get within three points midway through the fourth but hung on from there for the outright victory as dogs of 8.5 points, cashing in at +320 on the Game 5 money line.

The Clippers shot 51 percent from the floor Wednesday and held Utah to 45 percent FG shooting.

With Wednesday’s win/cover, Los Angeles is now 7-5, both SU and ATS in these playoffs.

With Wednesday’s loss, Utah is now 6-4 both SU and ATS in these playoffs.

The Jazz won the first two games of this series, but LA has taken the past three.

The Jazz finished five games ahead of Los Angeles in the regular-season standings, 52-20 to 47-25, and took the season series from the Clippers two games to one. So these teams have now split eight meetings this season, both SU and ATS. However, we should point out that both Leonard and Paul George missed one of those losses for LA.

On the injury front, Leonard is out for Game 6 while Utah G Mike Conley, who’s missed the first five games of this series with a sore hamstring, is listed as questionable for Friday night. And now Jazz star Donovan Mitchell, who’s averaging 32 points per game this postseason, is hurting after aggravating an already sore ankle back in Game 4.

Jazz-Clippers NBA Betting Trends

• The Jazz played 21-15 SU, 18-18 ATS on the road this season.
• The Clippers played 26-10 SU, 21-15 ATS at home this season.
• The Jazz played 22-14 SU, 21-15 ATS vs. teams that made the playoffs this season.
• The Clippers played 19-18 SU, 20-17 ATS against teams that made the playoffs this season.

Totals Report

Unders played 38-33 in Jazz games this season, which averaged 224 points.

Totals split 35-35 in Clippers games this season, which averaged 222 points.

Overs are 3-2 in this series, as the games are averaging 228 total points against an average O/U of 223.

Free NBA Playoffs Pick

This series looked like it would go seven games before it began, and we still think that will be the case. Los Angeles played an excellent second-half Wednesday without Leonard, but that will be a tough trick to pull again. The Clippers played 36-16 SU, 31-21 ATS this season with Leonard, 11-9 SU, 8-11 ATS without him. Meanwhile, at least Mitchell can take the floor for Utah Friday night. The “zig-zag” theory hasn’t meant much in this series, but we sense it might hit in this spot. We’re betting the Jazz for our free NBA playoff pick for Friday.