Buzzer-beater lifts short-handed Jazz
Joe Johnson drove the lane and lifted in a shot at the buzzer, and the Utah Jazz overcame the loss of Rudy Gobert 17 seconds into the game to beat the host Los Angeles Clippers 97-95 in their playoff opener on Saturday night.
Johnson had 21 points, including two when he was left isolated against Jamal Crawford on the final play. He powered his way inside and lofted a shot over Crawford and DeAndre Jordan that bounced around the rim before falling in. A video review confirmed it was good.
Gobert sprained his left knee on the game’s first play when he banged knees with Clippers forward Luc Mbah a Moute, leaving the Jazz without their 7-foot-1 center who averaged 14 points and 12.8 rebounds during the regular season.
Utah steadied itself behind two veterans brought in to help the inexperienced Jazz. Johnson was big off the bench and George Hill added 16 points.
Gordon Hayward had 19 points and 10 rebounds for Utah.
Blake Griffin scored 26 points and Chris Paul added 25 points and 11 assists for the Clippers, whose seven-game winning streak ended with their first loss since March 26 against Sacramento.
A driving Paul banked in a floating shot with 13 seconds to go, tying the game at 95.
In their first playoff game in five years, the Jazz outshot the Clippers and owned a 42-40 rebounding edge.
Utah withstood Paul’s offensive outburst in the fourth after the Jazz led by eight on Hill’s three-pointer. Paul rattled off 10 straight Los Angeles points, drawing the Clippers to 90-89 on a three.
Hayward and Johnson scored, keeping the Jazz ahead 94-91. But Johnson lost the ball and Hill fouled Griffin, who made both free throws to get the Clippers to 94-93 with 23 seconds left.
After a timeout by the Jazz, Griffin fouled Derrick Favors, who missed the first free throw and made the second after it hit the rim and went in for a 95-93 lead with 18 seconds left.
Gobert was setting a screen when he and Mbah a Moute made contact and Gobert fell to the court clutching his left leg.
He had to be helped off by teammates Boris Diaw and Hill. A team spokesman said X-rays were negative, and Gobert was taken to have a precautionary MRI exam.
The matchup between Gobert and Jordan was expected to be a key in the best-of-seven series. Jordan had 10 points and 15 rebounds and got called for a technical in the fourth with the Clippers down six.
Utah outscored the Clippers 16-10 to open the third before Crawford’s jumper put Los Angeles ahead 70-68. Hayward single-handedly outscored the Clippers 6-0 to send the Jazz into the fourth leading 74-70.