The Los Angeles Lakers get set to clash against the struggling and reeling Utah Jazz on Wednesday night inside the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. They will tip it off at 9:00 pm. This is a solid game on paper between two teams trying to get on a run. Bookmaker has installed the 

The Jazz have hit a snag of late as they have dropped two of three and five of seven overall to fall two games back of .500 on the season. They are in a huge hole in the division and right now they are 11 1/2 games back behind the first-place Minnesota Timberwolves in the Northeast Standings. 

Utah needs to start picking it up and stringing together some wins before they find themselves buried in last place and on the outside looking in when it comes time for the playoffs. They have a ton of work today and it starts with an average Lakers team. 

The Jazz need to get back to playing defense and getting some easy looks around the paint and in order to do that they need to figure out a way to get the ball more into the hands of Lauri Markkanen, who has had a nice season but needs to take on more of a responsibility when it comes to their offense. He connects on 50% from the floor, and does most of his damage in transition. 

That is why the Jazz will look to push the pace and get out on the fast break if possible. 

The Lakers have won four of five as they enter play on Tuesday night against a lowly Detroit Pistons team. They are a team that some thought would be more active at the trade deadline as they are in dire need of some more scorers off the bench.

As it stands now, they will have to bank and rely on veteran LeBron James and Anthony Davis to push them into the playoffs. James is netting 24.8 points per contest to go along with seven boards a night.

Davis has played well and has been relatively healthy this season and when he is on the floor and playing both ends, he can be a dominant and disruptive force. He is contributing a double-double a night with 24 points and a team-high 12 rebounds. 

Defensively he has been solid, as he also chips in with 2.4 blocks a contest. They need him to be a force on the glass and also be that rim protector they have lacked for years. If the Lakers can get on a little run and bank some wins they can at least be on a path towards the playoffs, because they still have James, who has carried teams in the past. 

Los Angeles also needs to cut down on the turnovers and the sloppy play at times. They turn the ball over 13.4 times a game. 

The Jazz are 2-3 in their last five games and 2-3 in their last five games against the spread. Utah is 13-16 in their roadgames against the number. The totals have gone over in three out of their last five games. The Lakers are 4-1 in their last five games and 3-2 in their last five games against the spread. They are also 11-16 in their road games against the number and the totals have gone over in two out of the Lakers last five games.