Utah Jazz-LA Clippers buzz: Paul George takes over and Clippers take control of series with Game 5 win
Clippers defeat Jazz, 119-111, in Game 5 of their Western Conference second-round series to take a 3-2 series lead. Game 6 is Friday night in Los Angeles
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) LA Clippers guard Terance Mann (14) dunks and is fouled by Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) as the Utah Jazz host the Los Angeles Clippers in a Game 5 matchup, NBA basketball in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, June 16, 2021.
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell (45) with the Jazz trailing by 5 in the final minute, as the Utah Jazz host the Los Angeles Clippers in a Game 5 matchup, NBA basketball in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, June 16, 2021.
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell (45) on the court as the Utah Jazz host the Los Angeles Clippers in a Game 5 matchup, NBA basketball in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, June 16, 2021.
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) dunks the ball as the Utah Jazz host the Los Angeles Clippers in a Game 5 matchup, NBA basketball in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, June 16, 2021.
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) and LA Clippers forward Marcus Morris Sr. (8) reach for the ball as the Utah Jazz host the Los Angeles Clippers in a Game 5 matchup, NBA basketball in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, June 16, 2021.
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell (45) as the Utah Jazz host the Los Angeles Clippers in a Game 5 matchup, NBA basketball in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, June 16, 2021.
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) LA Clippers guard Patrick Beverley (21) fouls Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (00) as the Utah Jazz host the Los Angeles Clippers in a Game 5 matchup, NBA basketball in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, June 16, 2021.
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell (45) drives past LA Clippers forward Marcus Morris Sr. (8) as the Utah Jazz host the Los Angeles Clippers in a Game 5 matchup, NBA basketball in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, June 16, 2021.
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Jazz forward Royce O'Neale (23) yells after an offensive foul was called on the Clippers, as the Utah Jazz host the Los Angeles Clippers in a Game 5 matchup, NBA basketball in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, June 16, 2021.
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) as the Utah Jazz host the Los Angeles Clippers in a Game 5 matchup, NBA basketball in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, June 16, 2021.
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) LA Clippers guard Patrick Beverley (21) steals the ball from Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (00) as the Utah Jazz host the Los Angeles Clippers in a Game 5 matchup, NBA basketball in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, June 16, 2021.
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) shoots as LA Clippers guard Reggie Jackson (1) falls, as the Utah Jazz host the Los Angeles Clippers in a Game 5 matchup, NBA basketball in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, June 16, 2021.
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) LA Clippers forward Marcus Morris Sr. (8) steps over Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) as the Utah Jazz host the Los Angeles Clippers in a Game 5 matchup, NBA basketball in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, June 16, 2021.
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27), LA Clippers forward Marcus Morris Sr. (8), Utah Jazz forward Royce O'Neale (23), and LA Clippers guard Reggie Jackson (1) as the Utah Jazz host the Los Angeles Clippers in a Game 5 matchup, NBA basketball in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, June 16, 2021.
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (00) hits a three-pointer over LA Clippers guard Luke Kennard (5) as the Utah Jazz host the Los Angeles Clippers in a Game 5 matchup, NBA basketball in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, June 16, 2021.
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Jazz forward Bojan Bogdanovic (44) scores after a pass from Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) as the Utah Jazz host the Los Angeles Clippers in a Game 5 matchup, NBA basketball in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, June 16, 2021.
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Jazz forward Bojan Bogdanovic (44) after hitting a three-pointer as the Utah Jazz host the Los Angeles Clippers in a Game 5 matchup, NBA basketball in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, June 16, 2021.
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune)
as the Utah Jazz host the Los Angeles Clippers in a Game 5 matchup, NBA basketball in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, June 16, 2021.
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) LA Clippers guard Terance Mann (14), Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell (45), and LA Clippers forward Marcus Morris Sr. (8) as the Utah Jazz host the Los Angeles Clippers in a Game 5 matchup, NBA basketball in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, June 16, 2021.
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell (45) runs into LA Clippers guard Terance Mann (14) as the Utah Jazz host the Los Angeles Clippers in a Game 5 matchup, NBA basketball in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, June 16, 2021.
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) LA Clippers guard Terance Mann (14), Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell (45), and LA Clippers forward Marcus Morris Sr. (8) as the Utah Jazz host the Los Angeles Clippers in a Game 5 matchup, NBA basketball in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, June 16, 2021.
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Jazz forward Bojan Bogdanovic (44) high-fives Utah Jazz guard Joe Ingles (2) after scoring, as the Utah Jazz host the Los Angeles Clippers in a Game 5 matchup, NBA basketball in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, June 16, 2021.
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) and Utah Jazz forward Bojan Bogdanovic (44) after Bogdanovic scored as the Utah Jazz host the Los Angeles Clippers in a Game 5 matchup, NBA basketball in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, June 16, 2021.
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell (45) passes the ball as the Utah Jazz host the Los Angeles Clippers in a Game 5 matchup, NBA basketball in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, June 16, 2021.
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) as the Utah Jazz host the Los Angeles Clippers in a Game 5 matchup, NBA basketball in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, June 16, 2021.
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) LA Clippers guard Paul George (13) pulls down a rebound, with Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) at left, as the Utah Jazz host the Los Angeles Clippers in a Game 5 matchup, NBA basketball in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, June 16, 2021.
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Fans in the stands as the Utah Jazz host the Los Angeles Clippers in a Game 5 matchup, NBA basketball in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, June 16, 2021.
As the old saying goes, a playoff series doesn’t start until the road team wins a game.
In that case, this Jazz-Clippers series is now underway as the latter walked into Vivint Arena and registered a 119-111 win in Game 5 on Wednesday evening. With Kawhi Leonard out indefinitely with a sprained knee, Paul George owned the night, finishing with 37 points, 16 rebounds and five assists.
Game 6 is Friday night in Los Angeles. A Clippers win will send them to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history.
— Ahmed🇸🇴/Mach Hommy's Pray For Haiti AOTY (@big_business_) June 17, 2021
Third-quarter struggles
The Jazz took a 65-60 lead into halftime, but the third quarter was a train wreck. They were 0-for-10 from 3-point range in the period and were outscored, 32-18, in trailing by nine going to the fourth quarter.
This is embarrassing from the Jazz.
— Braden “Brady” Clark (@BradenTClark) June 17, 2021
Jazz scored just 18 points in that third quarter and went 🥶 from the field.
Jazz's last five possessions of third quarter: Three missed 3-pointers (none of which was close), an Ingles free throw and a shot clock violation. Playing without passion.
Jazz are 12 minutes away from what would be a horrible loss. There are probably a few defeats that would compare, but not many. Need a big 4th quarter right now. A heaping helping of elite defense is needed ... ASAP.
Following a late second-quarter layup from Paul George, Rudy Gobert hit the deck and got tangled with Clippers forward Marcus Morris, who tried to step over him. Gobert took a swipe at Morris’ leg and was issued a technical foul, to which the Vivint crowd reacted harshly. After a review, Gobert and Morris were both issued technicals.
Marcus Morris steps over Rudy Gobert, who was sprawled out on the floor, and Gobert grabs Morris' leg and is called for a tech. But play is being reviewed.
Royce O’Neale carried the load early in the first quarter, Bojan Bogdanovic picked it up from there, the duo combining for 26 of Utah’s 37 first-quarter points. Bogdanovic was particularly hot, hitting his first six 3-point attempts in scoring 18 points in the opening period.
Royce O'Neale is playing as if the Jazz win the game if dominates his match up. They should... if he does. Starts by hitting a pair of 3s and bumping Playoff P.
News broke early Wednesday morning that Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard will miss Game 5 against the Utah Jazz with a sprained right knee, suffered in Monday night’s Game 4 win. The fear is that this is an ACL injury, according to The Athletic. Leonard has been ruled out indefinitely by the Clippers with Game 6 scheduled for Friday night in Los Angeles.
During their respective pre-Game 5 availabilities, Jazz head coach Quin Snyder and Clippers head coach Ty Lue gave their thoughts on Leonard’s absence.
Quin Snyder, on the Clippers adjusting without Kawhi: "No one in the world isolates at the nail better than he does. … But teams respond. And they'll respond. Everybody playing at this time of year understands there's a next-man-up mentality."
"No one isolates at the nail better in the world than Kawhi Leonard does. Anytime you lose a player like that, it impacts the series... They're a deep and talented team, so there's certainly enough offensive talent that they can score."
Ty Lue on Kawhi: “Being optimistic about the situation. Our team we understand it’s part of the game.” He said the Clippers have played through injuries all season and are “geared up” and ready to do it again.
Ty Lue says the team is awaiting for testing back on Kawhi Leonard's knee in the next 24-48 hours before determining how long he could potentially be out.
