This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The Utah Jazz's playoff outlook for their series against the Los Angeles Clippers changed 11 seconds into Game 1, when Rudy Gobert crumbled to the floor and had to be helped to the locker room with a hyperextended knee, an injury that has forced the Jazz star center to be sidelined since.
Now, it is the Clippers' playoff outlook that has changed.
Los Angeles' star power forward, Blake Griffin, is out for the remainder of the playoffs with an injured toe sustained late in the first half of Friday's Game 3 at Vivint Smart Home Arena, a game in which the Clippers rallied late behind Chris Paul to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Without Griffin — who was averaging 25 points per game in the series — the Clippers will be without their best scorer and secondary playmaker heading into Sunday night's Game 4 in Salt Lake City as the Jazz try to even the series.
"It changes things for both teams," Utah coach Quin Snyder said. "I think it's the same thing as Rudy being out for us. Blake is an important part of what they do, and that's something we have to adjust to. But the Clippers are a great team regardless, and that's no slight on Blake. It's unfortunate for him — you never want to see a guy get hurt, especially one who has had bad luck in the playoffs."
Griffin's injury changes the Jazz's outlook on several levels. Now, Utah's inside defense can focus on DeAndre Jordan, who has been influential the past two games, instead of spreading itself thin trying to cover both Jordan and Griffin. Jordan does not present the matchup problem that Griffin did with his ability to score close to the basket, shoot from mid-range and out to the perimeter.
But, that bit of post relief should be tempered for the Jazz. Because with Griffin out in the second half of Game 3, that forced Paul into a more offensive mindset. Paul dominated the L.A. comeback, scoring 24 of his 34 points in the second half.
"I knew when Blake went out that it was dangerous, because we were going to get such a heavy dose of Chris Paul," Jazz forward Joe Johnson said. "And he did what he had to do to bring his team out on top. The game plan will obviously be different for us. We still have to come to play, because they are dangerous without him, so we can't take that for granted."
Los Angeles has experience playing without Griffin, who missed 21 games in the regular season. Clippers coach Doc Rivers could insert Marrese Speights at power forward, giving the Clippers a shooting big man in the starting lineup. Another option could be playing small ball around Jordan and putting either veteran Paul Pierce, Wesley Johnson or Brandon Bass into the starting five.
"We'll be good," Rivers said. "We'll be ready. We want Blake, we need Blake. But he's not going to play and we know that. We have to get guys ready to play the next game. It's a huge game for us. And for them. We have to be ready to give a better defensive effort."
The Jazz looked disjointed defensively in the second half on how to guard the Clippers without Griffin on the floor, similar to how the Clippers looked in Game 1 offensively without having Gobert lurking in the post. Having a day of practice on Saturday could be beneficial for the Jazz.
Speaking of Gobert — Snyder said the center is working hard toward a return, but playing in Game 4 "wasn't originally in the plan." Snyder said Derrick Favors is holding up well physically but his workload — Favors played 38 minutes Friday — left him exhausted by the fourth quarter, which contributed to Paul going wild offensively in pick-and-roll situations.
If Gobert is out for a third consecutive game, the Jazz will face issues in the paint, regardless of Griffin's absence.
"Things are obviously going to be different without Blake in there," Utah guard Joe Ingles said. "But they've played without Blake before. We know we're going to have to defend more spacing. But we're going to adjust to it and make it work."
Twitter: @tribjazz —
Storylines
• The Clippers are 11-10 without Blake Griffin this season.
• Griffin was injured in Game 4 of the first-round last season against Portland and missed the rest of the series.
• Griffin is the Clippers' leading scorer at 21.6 points per game.