(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Jazz fans cheer as the Jazz take the led in the 3rd quarter, in the first full capacity crowd since the pandemic, in NBA action between the Utah Jazz and the LA Clippers, in game one in the second round of the NBA playoff series at Vivint Arena, on Tuesday, June 8, 2021.
The Utah Jazz put together a stellar second half en route to a Game 1 victory over the L.A. Clippers in the second round of the NBA Playoffs on Tuesday, and there was intrigue for the entire game.
From a huge Rudy Gobert block to Donovan Mitchell’s continued brilliance to a struggling Paul George to a DeMarcus Cousins sighting and practically everything in between, social media had a lot to say about all of it.
Here is what people discussed during Utah’s 112-109 win over the Clippers.
Rudy Gobert ends the game with a block
Nothing else was fitting for the presumptive Defensive Player of the Year than to stuff Marcus Morris Sr. with time running out on a potential game-tying 3-pointer.
Quin Snyder gives pep talk to Donovan Mitchell
On the TNT broadcast during a segment that listens in to coaches and players who have microphones on during the game, a moment between Jazz coach Quin Snyder and Donovan Mitchell was captured.
Snyder was giving Mitchell a pep talk, one that fans praised the coach for after they heard it.
Bizarro Playoff P
Paul George is considered one of the best players on the Clippers roster. He and Kawhi Leonard are supposed to be good enough to, as a tandem, take L.A. deep in the playoffs.
But a constant story line with George is his lack of production when it matters most. That continued against the Jazz, where he scored just seven points on 1-for-10 shooting through three quarters.
Fans on social media didn’t cut him any slack.
Donovan Mitchell’s run
Mitchell went off to start the second quarter and scored 10 straight points to put the Jazz within just five points. Included in that run was a filthy stepback 3 and a drive to the rim for a dunk.
Vivint crowd comes alive
The Jazz trailed for pretty much the entire first half. But there was a sequence that got the crowd in the arena going like no other moment.
Bojan Bogdanovic stole the ball and ran to the right corner to shoot and make a 3-pointer that cut Utah’s deficit to nine. The sold-out crowd erupted in cheers and made the atmosphere deafening. Those inside the arena and watching from home commented on the noise.
DeMarcus Cousins battles Rudy Gobert
The Clippers reserve big man has been hampered by injuries in recent years, but had a sequence early in the second quarter that looked liked the Boogie from his Sacramento Kings days.
Cousins tied up Rudy Gobert and stripped the ball from him on one end, then scored and completed a 3-point play seconds later. Later, Gobert drew a pair of fouls on Cousins, who was trying to draw charges.
Fans loved every moment.
Ivica Zubac block party
The Clippers center provided some good minutes in the first quarter, picking up three points and four rebounds in seven minutes. But it was his interior defense that had fans on social media talking when he blocked to consecutive Jordan Clarkson shots.
Early shooting struggles
The Jazz are relatively efficient shooting team, and when they’re making shots, they’re virtually impossible to beat.
To start the game, though, that wasn’t happening for Utah. At one point, the Jazz were just 3-for-21 from the field, and it felt like the fans in the arena were starting to get anxious.
Fans on social media felt the same way.
Mike Conley’s absence = Jazz loss?
It was already at least slightly unlikely the Jazz’s starting point guard would play Game 1 against the Clippers after tweaking his right hamstring in the final game against the Memphis Grizzlies. But the team made that official before Tuesday’s game.
It’s clear the Jazz need Conley to go far in the playoffs. But fans on social media were already counting out the Jazz against the Clippers with him out.
There is some good news on that front, though. Conley was seen getting up some shots pregame. Game 2 is on Thursday.
