Lakers Host Struggling Jazz in Emirates NBA Cup 2024 Matchup

The Los Angeles Lakers are set to host the Utah Jazz in an exciting Emirates NBA Cup 2024 matchup on Tuesday, November 19, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The Lakers, who are the defending NBA Cup winners, come into this game with a strong 9-4 overall record and a perfect 6-0 home record this season.

The Utah Jazz, on the other hand, are struggling with a 3-10 record and are last in the Western Conference. Despite their challenges, the Jazz have shown some resilience, particularly in their ability to draw contact and get to the free-throw line, where they rank second in both free throws made and attempted.

The Lakers are favored by 11 points in the latest odds, with a moneyline of -581 for the Lakers and +425 for the Jazz. The over/under is set at 234.5 points. The Lakers have a significant advantage, having won four of the last five meetings between the two teams, including a 32-point victory in their last encounter in Los Angeles.

Key players to watch include LeBron James, who averages 23.3 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 9.2 assists per game, and Anthony Davis, who is averaging 31.1 points and 11.2 rebounds per game. For the Jazz, John Collins and Lauri Markkanen are the top scorers, with Collins averaging 17.5 points and Markkanen averaging 17.3 points per game.

The game is expected to be high-scoring, given the defensive struggles of both teams. The Lakers are 25th in the league in defensive rating, while the Jazz are 29th, allowing 118.5 points per game. This could lead to an up-and-down battle, favoring the over in the total points line.

Walker Kessler remains sidelined for the Jazz due to a hip injury, further complicating their frontcourt defense against the dominant Anthony Davis.

The game tips off at 10:30 PM ET and can be streamed on FuboTV and watched on Spectrum Sportsnet and Root Sports.