Jazz at Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers look to continue their domination of Utah when they host the Jazz on Monday. Los Angeles has posted 11 straight victories over Utah, including two this season and both were decided by six points. The Clippers had an eight-game home winning streak halted by the Toronto Raptors 110-98 on Saturday while the Jazz have won four of their last five games after playing a strong fourth quarter to beat the Philadelphia 76ers 88-71 on Saturday.
Los Angeles is playing the third contest of a nine-game homestand that will see it not play on the road again until Jan. 14. The Clippers are set up nicely this week with bottom feeders such as the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers following the Jazz into town. Utah is in the midst of its best stretch of the season and has allowed 94 points or less in all four wins during the span.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, ROOT (Utah), Prime Ticket (Los Angeles)
ABOUT THE JAZZ (10-20): Which Derrick Favors will show up is always a mystery, and the power forward had six points and three rebounds in the first meeting with the Clippers before having 19 and seven in the second - both Clippers wins. He had a solid game against the 76ers with 17 points while matching season highs for both rebounds (15) and blocked shots (five). Favors is averaging 15.7 points – which would be a career high – and 8.3 rebounds and has recorded nine double-doubles after having a career-best 25 last season.
ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (20-11): Power forward Blake Griffin has operated at will against Utah this season while averaging 29.5 points and shooting 69.2 percent from the field. Griffin had 31 points on 14-of-21 shooting in the first matchup and followed it up with 28 points on 13-of-18 shooting in the second. He enters this contest with six 20-point outings in a seven-game stretch but has just nine double-doubles after recording 43 last season.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Utah recorded a season-best 10 blocked shots while defeating the 76ers.
2. Los Angeles C DeAndre Jordan had 20 rebounds in the loss against Toronto, marking his third 20-board outing over the last seven contests.
3. Jazz G Alec Burks (shoulder) sat out against Philadelphia and is questionable for Monday’s game.