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Gordon Hayward doesn't remember much about his first playoff run with the Jazz.

Can you blame him? Hayward played a bit role in what turned into a Utah beatdown at the hands of the San Antonio Spurs. He wasn't All-Star forward Gordon Hayward in 2012; instead, he was the third option behind Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson. Being swept makes the experience not worth remembering, in Hayward's mind.

"It wasn't competitive," he said. "It was really a different time in my career."

There lies the primary question surrounding the Jazz ahead of their first-round series against the Los Angeles Clippers. The postseason is defined by experience; those who have it thrive, and those who don't tend to go home early.

The Jazz have playoff experience in spots. George Hill, Boris Diaw and Joe Johnson are three veterans whose careers are flush with big postseason moments with different teams. But the Jazz have been led this season by Hayward and Rudy Gobert. They have been their two best players, and those are the two the Jazz will lean on in difficult moments.

"All the veterans can do at this point is try to lead by example," Hill said. "There's nothing we can tell them about. They are going to have to experience it for themselves and go through it."

Hayward said he knows the playoffs will be more physical, and the pace of play will slow considerably. He knows the Clippers will do whatever they can to concoct a defensive scheme designed to decrease his production.

He also said he's ready for it.

Following the 2012 season, Hayward went to management and said he wanted to be Utah's main guy. Five years from that declaration: Mission accomplished. Through toil and sweat, Hayward has had a career season and turned himself into one of the best all-around players in the NBA.

Leading a team to the playoffs is something he long has looked forward to. Now that the moment is here, he wants to make the most of it.

"Obviously the teams are going to be a lot more keyed in on me," Hayward said. "The first time around, it was all Paul and Al. Our offense was to throw it into the post and cut off those two. So it's a different offense this time around. We're going to have to figure out ways to attack the defense."

As Hayward has ascended to All-Star status, Gobert nearly has matched him.

The Stifle Tower is averaging 14.0 points per game, by far a career high. He's also hauling down 12.8 rebounds per game and league-best 2.6 blocked shots per contest. Gobert has made his case for the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year, and while he didn't make the All-Star team, he has gained traction for All-NBA in the second half of the season.

The 7-foot-1 center has been a game-changer on both ends of the floor. But for Gobert, like Hayward, the playoffs will be a different animal. Gobert will match up with DeAndre Jordan, someone who has had success neutralizing Gobert in the past.

This is what it has come to for the two Jazz mainstays. They played themselves on to the NBA's biggest stage this season. Now they must elevate their play further for the Jazz to have success against the Clippers.

"We know it's going to be tough," said Gobert. "But we just have to go out there and fight, and play basketball. We have to play confident and see what happens."

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