THE RIGHT TRACK
Clippers stars put up big numbers, dominate Jazz for first win of the series
LOS ANGELES » There wasn’t a soul chanting “overrated” at Paul George on Saturday, certainly not in the more-friendly confines of Staples Center, and not at the well-attended watch party at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City, either.
And no one will be asking why Kawhi Leonard hasn’t booted up Terminator Mode, because he cranked the dial in a big way during the second half in Game 3. Lurking like the mythological snow wasset that inspired one of his New Balance sneaker designs, Leonard leaped out of the powder in the third quarter and feasted with a 12-point third-quarter stretch that helped hold off Utah.
Facing the prospect of falling behind a previously always insurmountable 3-0 in their best-of-seven playoff series, George and Leonard were the aggressors Saturday night, leading the Clippers to a comfortable
132-106 victory before 8,185 fans at Staples Center. The victory cuts the Jazz’s lead in the Western Conference semifinal series to 2-1.
George finished with 31 points (reaching 30 points for the first time this postseason) and five assists on 12-for-24 shooting, including going 6 for 10 from 3-point range.
Leonard scored 24 of his 34 points in the second half and also had 12 rebounds and five assists.
“We both understand we’ve got to be aggressive from this point on and do whatever it takes to win,” George said. “And so, you know, that’s just a mentality we had to come out, get this team on the right start offensively and again just be aggressive. That’s just what it’s going to come down to for us.”
Or, as Clippers Coach Tyronn Lue put it, “I don’t go to Mastro’s to order the ketchup. I go to order the steak. And tonight, our guys wanted steak. That’s what we need.”
Utah star Donovan Mitch- ell scored 30 points before leaving with 7:04 to play in the fourth quarter, limping to the locker room before returning the bench when the game was out of hand -- but it wasn’t enough. Not even with help from his supporting snipers, who shot a typically voluminous amount of 3-pointers, going 19 for 44 (43.2%), but hit just 3 for 10 in the fourth quarter – when the Clippers went 5 for 7 from long range to pull away for good.
Finally, the Clippers, who shot just 37.5% from behind the arc in the first two games, got their 3s to fall, finishing the night 19 for 36 (52.8%) from deep.
George came out shooting with urgency, attacking the first quarter like he’d been treating the fourth quarter of late. After shooting just 1 for 4 combined in the first quarters of Games 1 and 2, George shot 3 for 7 in his first nine minutes Saturday. It was a warm-up act for a second quarter when he played all 12 minutes and scored 13 points on 5-for-9 shooting from the field and 3 for 5 from long range.
“Oh, we’re a different team” when George gets going offensively, Lue said. “We know that. It’s been like that all season long. He’s been great. You know, he had one bad game, whatever, but people are going to have bad games.”
More good news for the Clippers: George treated the fourth quarter as the fourth quarter, adding nine points to his total before checking out with 4:59 to play and the Clippers comfortably ahead, 116-98.
His buddy Reggie Jackson kept his personal party going, too, giving the Clippers 17 points in the victory on 6-for-8 shooting with five of those baskets counting for 3 points. Jackson is now 13 for 19 from 3-point range in the series.
A starter again, Nicolas Batum was his solid self, making 6 for 9 shots for 17 points and seven rebounds.
The Clippers also started out with more defensive vigor – well, after they spotted the Jazz their traditional 10-something lead (this time, it was 10-3).
Soon thereafter, they were pushing their guests further away from the basket, forcing a quick four turnovers and holding Mitchell – who’d scored 82 points in the first two games – to zero firstquarter points.
“We just made an emphasis that he’s not going to beat us tonight,” George said of the Clippers’ commitment to slowing Mitchell. “We’re going to force everybody else to play, and we’re just not going to let him walk in shots tonight and get the looks that he wanted early tonight.”
L.A. outscored Utah 24-10 to close the opening quarter, finally enjoying a turn in the driver’s seat against the Jazz – who figured they’d get a focused effort from the Clippers in a relative must-win game at home.
“We know,” Utah coach Quin Snyder before the game, “how difficult the series is going to be.”
The Clippers went small again Saturday, inserting Batum back into the starting lineup after going with 7-footer Ivica Zubac in Game 2.
Otherwise, Lue stuck to more familiar rotations than in Games 1 and 2 – incorporating second-year wing Terance Mann (seven points), Patrick Beverley (seven points), Luke Kennard (six points) and Zubac (three points, six rebounds) off the bench, and relegating veterans Rajon Rondo and DeMarcus Cousins to roles as spectator/coach on the bench.
Unprompted, Leonard — wearing a T-shirt for the virtual postgame news conference that read, “Gangsters Buy Flowers” — gave plaudits to the Clippers’ role players after Saturday’s victory.
“If Paul has it going, we’re gonna go to him, if I got it going, it’s gonna come to me, but if anyone else on the team has it going, we’re gonna try to get them the next shot as well,” said Leonard, the twotime NBA Finals MVP who enjoyed his fourth career playoff outing with at least 30 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, three of which have come as a Clipper.
“Reggie played great tonight, Nico also did. And everyone on the bench coming in with energy -- Luke making shots, TMann playing defense, Pat energy. We’re just really not a selfish team. We just want to make the right plays on the floor.”
Utah’s All-Star guard Mike Conley missed his third consecutive game with a hamstring strain.
Game 4 will be Monday night at Staples Center – with Game 5 on Wednesday back in Salt Lake City.