This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated.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.

Los Angeles • Sometimes, the NBA is a simple game: It comes down to making open shots.

The Utah Jazz ran a crisp offense Tuesday night, in Game 5 of a Western Conference first round series against the Los Angeles Clippers. They made the extra pass, kept turnovers to a minimum and found easy looks at the basket.

Too often, they missed those looks in the first half. In the second half, they found a way to make them when it counted.

The Jazz sweated out a 96-92 win over the Clippers at the Staples Center, and their ability to make the shots in the clutch is the significant reason for that.

As a result, the Jazz take a 3-2 series lead going into Friday night's Game 6 at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Tipoff for that game will be 8:30 p.m.

Being up 3-2 in the series doesn't mean the Jazz will cruise on Friday; the Clippers have shown they aren't likely to roll over. They are a proud bunch, and Chris Paul has pulled off difficult wins more than once in his storied career.

But in what has been one of the most competitive first- round series of these NBA playoffs, the Jazz are one victory from accomplishing something they haven't come close to since 2010: The second round of the postseason.

"They just made timely shots," Clippers all-star guard Chris Paul said. "Seems like that's been the case for them the entire series."

The Jazz have a number of players to thank for the position they are in. George Hill made four pressure free throws to ice the game. Joe Johnson's fadaway in the lane with 19.2 seconds gave the Jazz a 92-87 lead that proved insurmountable. For the second consecutive game, shooting guard Rodney Hood knocked down big shots — the biggest a 3-pointer to give the Jazz an 86-79 lead.

And Gordon Hayward — tremendous in Game 3, then thwarted in Game 4 by food poisoning — came back to drop 27 points with eight rebounds and four assists.

"Rodney hit a couple of big ones," Jazz coach Quin Snyder said. "Gordon hit a couple of big ones. But Joe, he's been a playmaker. He's able to hit shots and make plays for himself. Obviously, it's good to have him."

It wasn't pretty basketball, to be sure. The first four games of this series featured flawless shotmaking and offensive execution. But Tuesday's game slowed to a crawl and resembled a wrestling match. Every pick and roll was contested defensively. There were elbows. There was pushing and shoving. Each pass was challenged. Simply finding a shot was difficult.

Maybe that contributed to the Jazz' inability to make those shots when they found them in the third quarter, but the statistics looked ugly regardless.

By the time Austin Rivers made a free throw toward the end of the third quarter, drawing Los Angeles within 55-54, the Jazz were 22-of-55 from the field. They were 7-of-26 from 3-point range, and had scored nine points in the first 10 minutes of the quarter.

But the Jazz finished that third quarter on a 9-4 run. Derrick Favors found himself alone for a dunk. Johnson made a floater in the lane, then isolated against DeAndre Jordan and knocked down a contested 3-pointer. Hood made a heads-up play, finding Hayward in transition for a dunk as the buzzer sounded for the third quarter.

As badly as the Jazz shot the ball, they found a way to stay in the game, even after the Clippers started the game with a burst and scored the first seven points. The Jazz immediately stabilized themselves by scoring the next 11 points.

Without question, Utah had its worst shooting game of the series.

So how were the Jazz able to forge an advantage? One word: defense.

The Jazz — one of the best team defenses in the league this season — locked the Clippers up, holding them to 41 percent shooting. They were able to limit Paul to his least impactful game of the series, although he did heat up in the fourth quarter on his way to 25 points. J.J. Redick, who has had issues getting open looks throughout the series, woke up and kept the Clippers alive with timely shots, scoring 26 points. But the Jazz were able to contain everyone else in a Los Angeles jersey.

When Hood splashed home a 3-pointer in the fourth quarter, the Jazz took their biggest lead of the night at 69-58. At that point, Staples Center was quiet, the Jazz were in control, and it looked as if Utah was going to cruise to a big road win.

But the Clippers haven't been one of the best teams in the NBA over the past five years for nothing. They came back in short order, scoring the next 11 points and tying the game at 69 on a 3-pointer by Paul.

Like a heavyweight punched to the ropes, Utah responded, scoring the next eight points, forging a 77-69 advantage. The Clippers counterpunched yet again, pulling within 80-78 when Paul knocked home a midrange jumper.

In the end, Utah was able to make the biggest plays when it counted. They were able to find more defensive stops, and keep their composure when it mattered most.

As a result, the team that couldn't shoot straight for most of three quarter found its way. And now, the Jazz are on the verge of moving on in the playoffs.

Are you ready for Friday night?

Twitter: @tribjazz