What to watch for: Utah Jazz vs Los Angeles Lakers
Donovan Mitchell (45) dunks over Anthony Davis (3) and Avery Bradley (11)
A fourth quarter masterpiece saw the Utah Jazz top the Charlotte Hornets on Monday night 132-110. Tonight, the Jazz will play their final game at home before the All-Star break, welcoming LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers to Salt Lake City.
Jazz vs Lakers Throwback:
The Lakers are currently on a four-game winning streak against the Jazz, dating back to April 7, 2019. Los Angeles also owns the overall record against Utah 110-76 through the 186-games that these two teams have squared off.
Last time the Jazz and Lakers met, the NBA was three-games into their experiment with the covid-bubble. The Lakers beat the Jazz on August 3, 2020 116-108. Donovan Mitchell led the Jazz with 33-points, while Mike Conley chipped in 24 in the teams loss.
Key Players:
It will be a battle between All-Stars later this evening. The two players to watch out for in this one are Donovan Mitchell and LeBron James. When you're dealing with the greatest, you have to counter with your greatest, and we can be witnesses to a fantastic showdown tonight.
Donovan Mitchell has led the Jazz tremendously throughout this season. He leads the team in points with 24.5 per game, and is second on the team in assists per game with 5.2. Mitchell was announced as having a roster spot in the 2021 NBA All-Star Game alongside teammate Rudy Gobert. Mitchell has also led the team in scoring through four of the last five games.
James is arguably the greatest basketball player of all-time. Although he is aging in the league, he is still a dominant force to be reckoned with. He leads the Lakers in scoring with 25.8 points per night, assists with an average of 8.1 per game, and is second on the team in rebounds with 8.2. LeBron will represent the Western Conference as a team leader in the 2021 NBA All-Star Game.
Donovan Mitchell (45) shoots over Anthony Davis (3)
Fun Facts:
The Jazz will break out their "City Edition" uniforms for the final time before the All-Star break. They are 5-2 in these black and gradient uniforms, with their latest victories in them coming over the Philadelphia 76ers and Miami Heat.
Donovan Mitchell has led the team in scoring through four of the last five games, knocking down twenty-three points against the Hornets, twenty-four and thirty-five against the LA Clippers, and twenty-six against the Miami Heat.
There will be three people representing the Utah Jazz in the 2021 NBA All-Star game on March 7 in Atlanta, Georgia. First, Head Coach Quin Snyder will be leading Team LeBron as the coaching representative for the Western Conference. Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert will also take part in the All-Star Game, being named as reserve players on Tuesday night.
Rudy Gobert (27) contests a shot by LeBron James (23)
Utah broke their 'three-pointers made in a game' record once again on Monday night. They finished with 28-three-pointers with 19 of those coming from off the bench. In fact, the bench players came up huge for the Jazz against the Hornets. Georges Niang went 7-7 from three point range with 21 points, Joe Ingles had 21 of his own points with 7-three-pointers, and Jordan Clarkson chipped in 20-points with 5-three-pointers.
Kyle Kuzma will return to the state after playing for the University of Utah from 2014-2017. During his time in Salt Lake City, Kuzma helped lead the Runnin' Utes to two March Madness berth's resulting in a 3-2 postseason record.
The Utah Jazz got their groove back against the Hornets on Monday night, resulting in a 22-point victory. After their win, the Jazz remain at the top of the NBA leaderboard with a 25-6 record. They lead the Los Angeles Clippers by three games, the Los Angeles Lakers by three and a half games, and the Phoenix Suns by four and a half games in the Western Conference. They also lead the Philadelphia 76ers by four and a half games, and the Brooklyn Nets by five games in the Eastern Conference. The Jazz have won twenty-one of their last twenty-three games, going on streaks of 11-wins and 9-wins between their last three-losses.
The Lakers are currently on a three-game skid, losing against the Brooklyn Nets, Miami Heat, and Washington Wizards. They will visit Vivint Smart Home Arena with a 22-10 record and are in third place in the Western Conference Standings.
The Jazz have Udoka Azubuike listed as out on their injury report for Wednesday night's matchup. The Lakers are riddled with injuries, including Markieff Morris who is listed as day-to-day, former Utah Ute Kyle Kuzma who is listed as day-to-day, Dennis Schroder who is out due to Covid-19 protocols, and Anthony Davis who is out with a calf/achilles injury. LeBron James is listed as day-to-day, but is probable to play against the Jazz.
How to Consume:
The Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Lakers will tip-off at 8PM MST. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN, and Jazz listeners can also tune into David Locke and Ron Boone’s radio broadcast on 1280 The Zone or 97.5 FM.
Donovan Mitchell (45) drives through the paint for a layup
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