Utah Jazz-LA Lakers key matchup: Derrick Favors vs Julius Randle

The Utah Jazz will look to continue their march towards home court advantage as they face the LA Lakers on Sunday. Derrick Favors vs. Julius Randle will be a key matchup to clinching a playoff spot.

The playoffs are just on the horizon for the Utah Jazz, and a victory over the Los Angeles Lakers would officially secure a playoff spot in the crowded Western Conference. The fact that the Jazz are even in a position to reach the postseason is a miracle when you consider where this team was just a few months ago.

Sitting at 19-28, the playoffs seemingly seemed to be out of reach, and many fans were prepared for the Jazz to essentially tank in hopes of a high draft pick. Fast-forward two and a half months later, and the Jazz have ripped off a 27-5 run and now have a greater than 99 percent chance of making the playoffs, according to Five Thirty Eight.

The Lakers do not have any incentive to win this game. They are already to the point that they cannot make the playoffs. That being said, they have not shown any inclination of just laying over and allowing teams to beat them. They’re still fighting in every game, and if you look past them, they can easily make you pay.

The Spurs can testify to that after losing in overtime to the Lakers on Wednesday.

The Jazz will likely catch a break with Kyle Kuzma being out due to a sore ankle, but they’ll still have their hands full with Julius Randle. Pretty quietly, Randle has put together the best season of his young career, averaging 16.8 points and eight rebounds per game.

Randle has been surging as of late, and is looking more and more like a star. Since the All-star break, Randle is averaging 20.3 points and nearly 10 rebounds per game. He is also a better passer than some may realize, averaging 3.3 assist over that same stretch.

With Kuzma out, look for the Lakers to turn to Randle, and don’t be surprised if he even runs the offense at times. At 6-foot-9 and 250 pounds, he is surprisingly athletic and agile, and also has the ball handling and facilitating skills of a guard. The Lakers routinely give him the ball at the top of the key, and allow him to take advantage of mismatches.

Lucky for the Jazz, they have a player who has the physical profile and skills to match up perfectly against Randle. Derrick Favors took on the responsibility of guarding Randle during the matchup just last Tuesday, and limited him to just 3-of-9 shooting. Randle finished with 12 points and 12 rebounds, but seemed to not be engaged for large periods of time.

Favors, in comparison, finished with 15 points and eight rebounds in just 29 minutes of action. Favors has the unique combination of size, length and mobility that can really cause Randle problems. If you watch the example below, you will see Favors out muscling Randle for a rebound and put-back dunk.

If you just look at his numbers on the surface, you may think that Favors was having a down year. His offensive per-36 numbers are comparable to where he has been in the past however, averaging roughly 16 points and nine rebounds per 36 minutes.

His defensive numbers have been outstanding as well. He currently has the 19th best Defensive Box Plus/Minus.

With both Kuzma and Brandon Ingram out, the Lakers will have to rely on Randle for offense. If Favors can limit Randle’s production once again, it should be a long night for Laker fans, and a great one for the Jazz.

This will be a huge game for the Jazz, as a win will secure them a playoff berth for the second year in a row. Incredibly impressive when you consider the amount of turnover they experienced during the offseason.