Clippers take 3-2 series lead on Jazz; Hawks escape 26-point hole, shock Sixers in Game 5

Paul George scored 37 points to lead the Los Angeles Clippers, playing without injured Kawhi Leonard, to a surprising 119-111 win over the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City late Wednesday night in Game 5 of a Western Conference semifinal series.

Marcus Morris Sr. added 25 points and Reggie Jackson fired in 22 points to help Los Angeles take a 3-2 lead in the best-ofseven series. The fourth-seeded Clippers can eliminate the top-seeded Jazz in Los Angeles in Game 6 on Friday.

Despite the absence of Leonard, who was sidelined due to a sprained right knee, the Clippers withstood a blistering first-half shooting performance by the Jazz to win their third consecutive game after falling behind 0-2 in the series.

George also had 16 rebounds and dished out five assists.

Bojan Bogdanovic hit nine three-pointers and scored 32 points to lead the Jazz. Donovan Mitchell, limited by a sprained ankle, added 21 points, five assists and five rebounds for Utah.

The Jazz again played without Mike Conley, who has yet to appear in the series because of a strained right hamstring.

The Jazz hit 17-of-30 threepoint attempts in the first half but only took a 65-60 lead into the locker room. Bogdanovic hit his first six long-distance attempts in the first quarter and had 18 points in the opening period and 23 by halftime.

The Clippers scored 17 points off the Jazz’s 11 first-half turnovers to neutralize Utah’s early hot shooting.

The third quarter was the turning point for Los Angeles.

The Clippers outscored the Jazz 17-5 to open the second half and eventually established a 10-point lead in the third quarter. Utah missed all 10 of its three-point attempts in the period and was outscored 32-18 as Los Angeles turned a five-point halftime deficit into a 92-83 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Hawks 109, 76es 106

Trae Young scored a playoff-career-high 39 points and Atlanta rallied from a 26-point, second-half deficit to stun host Philadelphia and take a 3-2 series lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Game 6 in the best-of-seven series will be played Friday at Atlanta.

The Hawks trailed by 18 points entering the fourth quarter before outscoring the 76ers 40-19 in the final period. Atlanta never led until Young made three free throws with 1:26 to go for a 105-104 advantage.

John Collins added 19 points and 11 rebounds for the Hawks. Danilo Gallinari contributed 16 points, and Lou Williams had 15.

Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid finished with 37 points, 13 rebounds, five assists and four blocked shots but missed two free throws with 10.2 seconds remaining with the Sixers trailing 107-104.

Sixers guard Seth Curry had a playoff-career-high 36 points, including seven three-pointers. Ben Simmons continued to struggle from the free-throw line, going 4-of-14, and wound up with eight points. (Reuters)