The problem for the Jazz was that Gobert couldn’t guard the rim and his man at the same time because the Clippers were playing with five shooters on the floor. Utah has the ultimate solution to this problem in Rudy Gobert, named Defensive Player of the Year for the third time this season and the preeminent rim protector in the sport. The genesis of the Clippers’ comeback was their ability to burn Jazz defenders off the dribble and get deep penetration into the paint.
The Clippers were beating Utah the exact same way on the offensive end every time down the floor, and the Jazz made no adjustments to stop it. LA hit 20-of-39 shots from three on the night, including making 14-of-19 three-point attempts in the second half to stake its historic comeback. The Clippers’ comeback was sparked by two things: a) a five-out, small ball attack with no traditional center on the floor, and b) an unfathomably hot shooting night. That LA won the last two games without Leonard makes the achievement even more incredible. The Clippers are going to Western Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history after winning four straight games to wipe away Utah’s 2-0 lead to begin the series. The Clippers continued to blitz the Jazz in the fourth quarter on their way to a 131-119 victory. By the time the fourth quarter started, Utah’s 25-point lead was down to just three. Reggie Jackson and Paul George added their own scoring punch for LA. Mann erupted for 20 points in the third quarter, mostly on wide open three-point looks from the corner, to help the power the comeback. With Kawhi Leonard sidelined indefinitely with an apparent ACL injury, LA head coach Ty Lue started Terance Mann, the team’s second round pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, in his place.
That’s when the Clippers started their comeback.
#Clippers sb nation series
Mitchell and Jordan Clarkson were drilling shot after shot in the first half to help build the lead, while the series debut of Mike Conley, returning from an ankle injury, seemed to give Utah the emotional lift it needed to force a Game 7. The Jazz had their season on the line down 3-2 in the series, and they were in the midst of putting together a remarkable performance. The Utah Jazz led the Los Angeles Clippers by 25 points just seconds into the third quarter of their do-or-die Game 6 in the second round of the NBA playoffs after Donovan Mitchell hit another step-back three.
0 kommentar(er)
