The 4-seed Los Angeles Clippers hosted the 1-seed Utah Jazz at Staples Center Monday for Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinal playoff series. The Clippers put on an impressive performance for their home crowd, led by offensive stylings of Paul George, Kawhi Leonard and Marcus Morris. The Championship contenders, having evened the series, now head to Salt Lake City for Game 5.  Your complete Game 4 recap follows below.

GAME SUMMARY

First Half

Much to the surprise of, well, everyone, the Clippers opened Game 4 on a 10-2 run. Opening buckets came from the usual suspects, Leonard, George and Morris.

Defensively, LA was very effective with air-tight man-to-man coverage.   The effort saw 3 deflections and 2 turnovers in the first three minutes of play. Halfway through the quarter the Clippers led by 12. By the end of the frame they had extended that lead to 17, on top 30-13.

In the second quarter, it was much of the same. The Clippers’s defense forced the Jazz to play 1:1 ball and stifled their ball movement.  On offense, the Clippers aggressively attacked the basket, particularly when Gobert was off the floor.   

The Jazz struggled to get stops, could not get anything in the way of transition offense, and settled for bad shots late in the clock. The Clippers’ elite defense was on full display. 

The Clippers led by as many as 29 in the second quarter and despite mini runs by Mitchell – he had 17 in the frame – held a 24 point lead at the break, 68-44.  

Stats at the Half:

Marcus Morris led the way for LA with 22 points on 6 for 8 shooting, including a perfect 5 for 5 from long. He also snatched 3 rebounds. Kawhi Leonard was also solid with 19 points, 2 assists, 3 rebounds and 1 steal. He also had the highlight of the half.

Paul George contributed 15 points, 3 assists, 3 rebounds and 1 steal. Nico Batum also made an impact, particularly on the defensive end of the floor, with 3 steals to go along with 2 points; 3 assists and 3 rebounds.

For the Jazz, Donovan Mitchell was best with 21 points; 1 assist; 2 rebounds.  No other Jazz player hit double figures. 

The Clippers shot 50 percent from the field and 50 from three point range. The Jazz only connected on 35 percent from the field, and 33.3 percent from three.

The Clippers also fared better than the Jazz in numerous other categories: 

• Points in the paint (Clippers 14; Jazz 12)
• 2nd chance points (Clippers 8; Jazz 1)
• Fast break points (Clippers 8; Jazz 3)
• Turnovers (Clippers 2; Jazz 7)

Second Half

The Jazz came out of the break with resolve, connected on a few easy baskets and quickly cut the lead to 20.  Quick time out for Ty Lue to steady the ship. 

For most of the remainder of second half the Clippers lacked the defensive energy and intensity they showed in the first half. The Jazz were able to push the pace and get better looks earlier in the clock. Joe Ingles and Bojan Bogdanovic combined for 24 points, and Mitchell added 16. It was not enough to overcome Utah’s poor start, however, and the team struggled to slow LA’s consistently clicking offense. The Jazz never broke the Clippers’ double digit lead.

Clippers win, 118-104.

Final Stats

Kawhi Leonard and Paul George both finished Game 5 with 31 points.  Leonard added 3 assists, 7 rebounds, 2 steals and 1 blocked shot to his stat line while George had 4 assists, 9 rebounds and 1 steal. Marcus Morris was a solid third fiddle with 24 points, 1 assist, 6 rebounds and 1 steal. Nico Batum was also a difference maker, contributing 7 points, 4 assists, 7 rebounds, 3 steals and 1 blocked shot. 

Donovan Mitchell finished with 37 points for the Jazz.

CLIP NOTES

Great Team Effort

Game 5 was a great team effort for the Clippers. Although only three guys hit double figures (Leonard, George, Morris), everyone in the rotation provided meaningful contributions. The squad forced the Jazz to turn the ball over 11 times. They also bagged 10 steals, blocked 7 shots, grabbed 44 rebounds, and logged 19 assists. They shot 46.8 percent from the field on the night, and 40.5 from three.

Of course, although all the Clippers’ players performed well, it was the dynamic duo of Paul George and Kawhi Leonard who sparkled. According to ESPN Stats & Info, George and Leonard are the only the 5th pair since the 1976-77 NBA-ABA merger with 30 points each in back-to-back playoff games. If they continue to play well, at the same time, there is no telling how far this team will go.

Welcome Back to the Offense Mook!

Marcus Morris showed up big this matchup, and the crowd at Staples could not have been happier. Prior to Game 4, Morris was a dismal 1 of 16 from long. During Game 4, Senior got into a rhythm early, going 5 for 5 from three in the first half. Although his offense cooled significantly in the second half, Morris finished the game with a respectable 24 points on 6 for 11 shooting.  Hopefully his newfound stroke will continue as the series goes on.  

Welcome back to the Defense Mr. 94 Feet!

Patrick Beverly saw an uptick in minutes tonight and made the most of his time on the floor.  His back to back blocks on Donovan Mitchell to end the first half were savage. Bev finished the game with a post-season career-high 4 blocks, and his presence on the floor –as both leader and irritant– had impact.

Paul George celebrates his 100th career postseason game.

Game 4 was a milestone for PG-13; his 100th career post-season game.  George made it a good one, playing with purpose on both ends of the floor.  He was particularly successful with his aggressive downhill play and finishing at the rim. Overrated? I think not. He’s just warming up, folks.

Kawhi Knee Concerns?  

Kawhi exited the final quarter with over four minutes left after bumping knees with Joe Ingles.  He was not attended to on the bench, so it is unclear if his sitting out the final minutes was purely precautionary or cause for concern.  Something to watch.

Kawhi Leonard Named to All-Defensive Team

Off topic, but still good news worth mentioning, the NBA announced today that the Klaw has been named to the All-Defensive Second Team. The announcement marks the third consecutive season and the seventh time in Leonard’s career that he has received All-Defensive Honors.  

NEXT UP:

Game 5 between the Clippers and Jazz is set for Wednesday, June 16, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. at Vivint Arena, Utah.  

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Clippers vs. Jazz Game 4 Recap: All Even
michelle uzeta

The Clippers are once again trying to come back from a 2-0 series deficit, and made a good start by winning Game 3. If they can win their next game at home, the pressure will be back on the Jazz heading back to Utah. Keep reading for a full preview of Game 4 between the Clippers and the Jazz.

GAME 4 INFORMATION

Where: Staples Center, Los Angeles, California

When: 7 p.m. PST

How to Watch: TNT

How to Listen: AM 570 L.A. Sports / The Patriot AM 1150

Projected Starting Lineups:

L.A. Clippers: Reggie Jackson – Paul George – Kawhi Leonard – Marcus Morris Sr. – Nicolas Batum

Utah Jazz: Donovan Mitchell – Joe Ingles – Bojan Bogdanović – Royce O’Neale – Rudy Gobert

Injury Report:

L.A. Clippers: Serge Ibaka – OUT (Back Surgery) 

Utah Jazz: Mike Conley – QUESTIONABLE (Right Hamstring Strain)

THE BIG PICTURE

“Take Note”, Utah, the Clippers aren’t dead yet.

Kawhi Leonard and Paul George combined for 65 points to lead the Los Angeles Clippers to a crucial 132-106 Game 3 win over the Utah Jazz Saturday.  Although the Clippers still trail Utah in the Western Conference playoff semifinals 2 games to 1, the unsinkable and scrappy squad will make every effort to even the series at Staples Center Monday night. 

GAME NOTES

Small Ball Success

Clippers’ head coach Tyronn Lue returned to a small starting lineup in Game 3, replacing Ivica Zubac with Nicolas Batum. Using a five-out lineup without a traditional center forced Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert to defend shooters on the perimeter and allowed the Clippers room to attack the rim without worrying about the “Stifle Tower” being camped out under the basket. The strategy worked; the Clippers outscored the Jazz in the paint 44-32, snatched 10 offensive rebounds, and logged 13 second-chance points. More than that, the Jazz’s hallmark half-court defense seemed discombobulated. There were visible communication and rotation errors that allowed the Clippers to get good looks and score with ease, particularly off small-small pick and rolls.  Although Utah will likely correct some of the defensive errors made on Saturday, expect the Clippers’ small-ball sets to continue to diminish Gobert’s defensive impact and create difficulty for the Jazz defenders. 

Offense Must Continue to Flow

The Clippers offense showed much improvement in Game 3 after meh performances in Games 1 and 2.  LA scored 132 points in 93 possessions, an impressive 141 offensive rating. The team also boasted a 56/52/82 shooting split and 21 assists on the night. Four players scored in double figures: Leonard (34), George (31), Batum (17) and Reggie “Action” Jackson (17).  

In order to extend and win this semifinal series, the Clippers’ offense must perform at a high level from first tip through final buzzer. Leonard and George always find a way to get their numbers, but neither has had a truly exceptional full-game performance to date in this series.  

They. Are. Both. Due.

Role players, with the exception of Jackson, have largely under-performed in the playoffs. To play at “Championship contender” level, at least two other guys besides the dynamic duo need to step up offensively with double-digit contributions. It would be great if regular season third-scoring option Marcus Morris would get hot, but he has been wildly inconsistent as of late. Senior’s field goal and three-point shooting percentages have dropped off significantly from the regular season (47.3/47.3) to the playoffs (39.4/33.3). The Clippers have many other options, as they do have a deep bench, but depth does not mean a damn thing if everyone on the roster is off at the same time.

Morris has gotten the looks, the shots just have not been falling. Game 4 may be the game to break his slump. If not, the Clippers need above-average performances from Batum, Kennard, Mann, and/or Beverley to stay in contention.

Defensive Effort

Game 3 also brought an improved defensive effort from the Clippers. LA’s defenders were over-helping and closing out well on shooters throughout the game with very few lapses in coverage. Perimeter defenders double-teamed Mitchell early on in the clock and far from the basket, making it difficult for him to turn corners and play downhill.  Mitchell saw many different looks from many different bodies during Game 3, and although Spida still logged 30 points in the match-up, the Jazz’s overall efficiency was compromised. The Clippers’ intensity was such that Utah’s offense was altered. The ball was not moving as usual and they often looked immobilized and/or confused. As a result, the Jazz finished the game with more turnovers (16) than assists (15). The Clippers need a similarly elite defensive effort to take Game 4.   

Jazz Injuries

Injuries may play a role in Game 4 and beyond. Jazz hot shot Mitchell re-injured his right ankle midway through the fourth quarter of Game 3, causing him to make an early exit. In post-game interviews Mitchell insisted to media that he was fine and would be ready for Game 4, but the extent to which his nagging ankle issues will impact his performance moving forward remains unknown. Remember, this is the same ankle that caused Mitchell to miss the last 15 games of the regular season and Game 1 of Utah’s first-round series against the Memphis Grizzlies. 

The Jazz is already without Mike Conley, who has missed all three games of this series with a hamstring strain. Conley has been upgraded to “questionable” for Game 4. 

PREDICTION: LA Takes Game 4

The Clippers appear to have figured out their defense and rotations, and as mentioned throughout the preview, Game 4 should just be a chance to further straighten things out against the Jazz. So long as they get decent production from their superstars and meaningful contributions from a handful of role players, they should have no issue protecting home court and evening the series.

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GAME 4 GAME THREAD: That about does it for this preview of Game 4 between the Clippers and Jazz, but the comment section below will serve as the Game 4 game thread. Sign up for a free account and join the always insightful and sometimes snarky conversation!

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Clippers vs. Jazz Game 4 Preview: Evening the Series
michelle uzeta