The Clippers blew out the Jazz 132-106. After being down 0-2 in the series, many people projected Clipper nation to lose, but Kawhi Leonard was determined not to allow that to happen. He led his team with 34 points and 12 rebounds. There was no doubt Kawhi, and the Clippers wanted to be down 0-3.
Paul George shut up the naysayers and dropped 31 points in an easy win over the Jazz. George set the tone early by knocking down a few threes and making stops in the first half. Reggie Jackson said when George gets going, it gives him motivation. “We ride his energy. His energy is electric and contagious. We feed off it.”
The Jazz could not miss deep in the first quarter, and the Clippers responded by executing their game plan and playing with a sense of urgency. Mitchell was scoreless in the first quarter, and the Clippers stifled him and sent double teams when he touched the ball. They wanted to limit his usage rate.
Jackson mentioned the team challenged themselves to stop Mitchell one on one. Clippers threw the Jazz off balance by blitzing him often. Lue said Jackson is not afraid of the moment, and he loves taking challenges, such as guarding Mitchell in crucial moments.
Jackson has stepped up for the Clippers during this playoff run. It seems as if head coach Ty Lue has given Jackson the green light offensively. Lue said he works on his game, and he’s proving it in these first two rounds.
The chemistry between Kawhi and George is still building. Kawhi mentioned after game three that there is a difference between last season and this season. “Our chemistry is still growing. Doc and Ty Lue are two different coaches. Coming from one set of plays to a new set of plays, you always have to rebuild chemistry from there. At the end of the day, we’re two basketball players trying to win a game.”
Nic Batum has had a surprisingly good season, from being released from Charlotte to playing at a high level competing for a championship. It looks like he got his back after dropping 17 points.
The Clippers will face the Jazz tomorrow at 7:00 PM on TNT. They look to continue to expose the Jazz weakness by taking the ball out of Donovan Mitchell’s hands.
