This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Los Angeles • The Jazz's hot shooting kept it from being much of a game, but Jeremy Evans made sure it was an exhibition.
Through one half at Staples Center, the Jazz lead the Clippers 48-34. However, long after the result of the preseason game is decided and forgotten, it will be a play in which he took care of every fast-break element all by himself.
He had the stop, the push, the finish.
With 5:24 left in the first half and the Jazz leading 41-32, Evans blocked a jump shot by the Clippers' Rony Turiaf. He swatted the ball past the halfcourt line, chased it, recovered it, and drove for a one-handed dunk over Turiaf.
Touch the heavens, Jeremy Evans.
The Jazz are playing without Mo Williams and Derrick Favors, both sitting out to recover from what are considered minor injuries. Without two of their key contributors, the Jazz got plenty of help elsewhere. While Evans was likely earning himself a good long stay on television highlight shows, Randy Foye, Gordon Hayward and Enes Kanter were all putting together nice games.
In his first game against the Clippers since leaving the team as a free agent in the summer, Foye made his first attempt of the game, a 3-pointer with 3:24 remaining in the first quarter and finished the half with 7 points. Kanter was well on his way to a fourth double-double in five games, tallying 10 points and 6 assists, while Hayward scored 9 points.
As a team, the Jazz shot 42.9 percent from the field and 4-of-10 from 3.
Their pace continued to be a bright spot, even without Mo Williams. The Jazz scored 13 fast-break points in the half, and turned 10 Clipper turnovers into 12 points.
At halftime, Blake Griffin leads both teams with 12 points, all of which he scored in the first quarter.
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