Don’t look now, but the Los Angeles Clippers are getting hot.
After a brutal start to the 2025-26 season, the Clippers enter their New Year’s Day matchup with the Utah Jazz on a five-game winning streak, and oddsmakers have them favored at home in this matchup.
Utah has been a near .500 team at home, but it is just 4-9 on the road in the 2025-26 season. Still, point guard Keyonte George and forward Lauri Markkanen have both been bright spots for the Jazz as they attempt to build a young core for the future.
As for the Clippers, Kawhi Leonard was elite to close December, hitting his career-high with 55 points in a win over the Detroit Pistons last week. Now, L.A. is looking to get back into the play-in mix in a top-heavy Western Conference.
Let’s dive into the odds, a player to watch in the prop market and my prediction for this New Year’s Day matchup in the NBA.
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.
Spread
Moneyline
Total
Jazz Injury Report
Clippers Injury Report
Clippers Best NBA Prop Bet
Earlier today, I shared in my NBA Best Bets column – Peter’s Points – why Leonard is a great prop target against Utah:
Kawhi Leonard has been red hot as of late, averaging 29.8 points per game in December while shooting 49.0 percent from the field and 36.0 percent from 3.
Now, Leonard is looking to carry that momentum into the New Year against a Utah team that is 29th in the NBA in defensive rating. I’m eyeing Kawhi from beyond the arc in this game, as he’s shooting 38.6 percent from deep this season and Utah ranks dead last in the NBA in opponent 3s made per game (15.3) and is 27th in opponent 3-point percentage.
The two-time NBA Finals MVP has made four or more 3-pointers in four of his last five games, and he attempted more than seven 3s per game in December, up from his season-long average of 6.6 attempts per game.
This is a great matchup for Kawhi to continue his hot scoring stretch for L.A.
Can the Clippers extend their winning streak to six on Thursday night?
Los Angeles is a massive favorite at home – and for good reason – as the Utah Jazz have a loaded injury report that included Keyonte George and Lauri Markkanen (both questionable).
With Utah looking to keep its top-8 protected pick this season, could this be a stealth tank game for the Jazz? It sure would feel like it if George and Markkanen sit, and Utah is already awful on the road.
The Jazz are 4-9 straight up and 5-8 against the spread on the road, posting an average scoring margin of -11.8 points in those games.
The Clippers’ season-long numbers are bad – there’s no way around it – but they do rank seventh in the NBA in net rating over their last 10 games (+5.4).
I’m willing to lay it with the Clippers, as Kawhi Leonard is on an all-time heater at the moment and should dominate the No. 29 defense in the NBA.
Pick: Clippers -12.5 (-110 at DraftKings)
Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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Find Peter Dewey’s NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on BetStamp here.
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