The Clippers avoided falling to a two-zip hole by focusing on their biggest strength: scoring down low. They exploited the Jazz’s depleted interior defense for 60 points, enabling them to comfortably race to a series-tying 99-91 victory.
The star trio of the Clipps played their parts well – Chris Paul had 21 points, 10 assists, and three steals, Blake Griffin scored a game-high 24, and DeAndre Jordan owned the paint for an 18-point, 15-rebound double-double. They powered the team’s surge in the opening frame, where the Clipps shot 65 percent and outscored the Jazz in the shaded lane, 18-0.
Obviously, the same style needs to be imposed for Game 3 if they intend to win, especially since Rudy Gobert is still being ruled out due to the knee injury he suffered in the series opener.
The two main shooters, meanwhile, Jamal Crawford and JJ Redick, should look to snap out of their sudden slump. Both combine for an abysmal 32.4 percent shooting clip in the series.
If the scoring this past Tuesday was based on intensity and inside presence, the Jazz would probably be blown out by a hundred, instead of just losing by eight. Perhaps they were on a high from Game 1’s last-second upset win, as they appeared to be very overwhelmed and unprepared by the Clippers’ energy.
The Jazz should be fine, though, especially since they still have home court advantage. We’ve also seen this team’s work from their surprising regular season campaign, and their patience on offense and efficiency on defense are two great traits to have in the postseason.
As for Rudy Gobert’s absence, we can expect the team to at least survive fairly. In shooting and in wing play, the Jazz can go on a duel with the Clipps – Joe Ingles, Gordon Hayward, and Joe Johnson are all shooting above 40 percent from three, and the latter two are outperforming their guard/forward counterparts on the other end.
Combining all of that with the underrated bench depth (52.8 bench points per game) can definitely make Utah a good, worthy pick despite not having its main man in the paint.
Writer’s Prediction
The Clippers (-1) regain home court advantage, 95-90.
