The NBA betting action goes on Thursday, March 31, 2022, with five games around the league, so we are taking a closer look at the Western Conference showdown from Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City to get you the best Lakers vs. Jazz betting pick and odds.

The Lakers head to Utah as huge 11-point underdogs with a total of 225.0 points on Bookmaker Sportsbook. They will try to sweep the Jazz series for the second time in three years after beating Utah in their first two meetings in 2021-22 (101-95 and 106-101).

The Lakers continue to struggle

The slumping Los Angeles Lakers fell to 31-44 straight up and ATS on the season following a heavy 128-110 defeat at the Dallas Mavericks this past Tuesday. They failed to cover a 12-point spread, yielding a whopping 82 first-half points, the second-most allowed in franchise history.

With both LeBron James and Anthony Davis watching in street clothes, the Lakers trailed the Mavs by as many as 37 points. Los Angeles went only 12-for-44 from beyond the arc, while Malik Monk led the way with 28 points on 10-for-16 shooting from the field.

Now, the Lakers are riding a three-game losing streak. They’ve gone only 2-7 SU and 3-6 ATS in the last nine contests, recording the second-worst net rating in the process (-9.2). The Lakers are tied with the Spurs for the No. 10 seed in the West, one game behind the ninth-seeded New Orleans Pelicans. 

The Jazz ride a five-game losing streak              

The Utah Jazz (45-31; 31-43-2 ATS) are coming off a 121-115 defeat at the Los Angeles Clippers this past Tuesday. Playing as slight 2.5-point road favorites, the Jazz extended their losing streak to five games. Now, they are tied with the Denver Nuggets for the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference.

The Jazz blew a massive 25-point lead at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The Clippers outscored them 39-21 in the fourth quarter. After yielding just 14 points in the first quarter, Utah’s defense has fallen apart, while its offense struggled down the stretch. Donovan Mitchell finished with 33 points and six assists, but he also committed six turnovers and missed all of his four attempts from deep.

During their losing streak, the Jazz have registered the third-worst defensive rating in the league (-12.5). They’ve surrendered 126.0 points per 100 possessions (30th in the NBA) on 52.3% shooting from the field (29th).

Trends:

LA Lakers:

  • 5-12 ATS in the last 17 games overall
  • 0-6 ATS in the last six games against the Western Conference         

Utah:

  • 8-4-2 ATS in the last 14 home games against the Pacific Division

Los Angeles Lakers vs. Utah Jazz Pick

LeBron James (ankle) is expected to sit out Thursday’s clash against Utah. Anthony Davis (foot) is listed as doubtful, so I doubt the Lakers’ chances to keep it close despite Utah’s awful run of form. I’ve mentioned how bad Utah’s defense has been lately, but the Lakers haven’t impressed either. Los Angeles is yielding 125.9 points on 51.1% shooting from the field in its last five outings.

This game looks like a great opportunity for the Jazz to right the sheep. Also, the hosts should be fired up to avoid a sweep and take full advantage of LeBron’s and Davis’ absence.

Pick: Take Utah Jazz -11.0 at -110  

The Total:

The Jazz have surprisingly played at the slowest pace in the NBA over the last five games, averaging only 91.8 possessions per 48 minutes. They should try to speed up things against the Lakers, who have recorded 98.0 possessions per 48 minutes in their previous five outings.

The over is 5-1 in the Lakers’ last six games overall, while six of their previous seven contests have produced more than 225 points in total. On the other side, the Jazz have hit a 120-point mark in four of their last five games on the home court. 

Pick: Go over 225.0 points at -110