Jazz defeat Clippers, will meet Warriors
The young Utah Jazz have grown up quickly.
Gordon Hayward scored 26 points Sunday and the visiting Jazz beat the Los Angeles Clippers 104-91, closing out the Western Conference firstround series 4-3 to advance in the playoffs for the first time since 2010.
“We’ve been through some pretty hard downs,” said Hayward, a seven-year veteran. “It definitely feels really good to go from 25 wins (three years ago) to where we were this year.”
The Jazz will face the Warriors in the next round. Game 1 is Tuesday at Oracle Arena.
The Clippers lost in the first round for a second straight year.
Los Angeles’ DeAndre Jordan had 24 points and 17 rebounds, but Chris Paul had just 13 points and couldn’t muster any of his fourth-quarter magic. Paul went scoreless with three assists in the period.
The Jazz were in control in the fourth, ahead by as much as 17 points and not bothered by Rudy Gobert and Derrick Favors both fouling out.
Paul Pierce’s 19-year NBA career came to an end at the final buzzer. The 39-year-old forward had six points in 21 minutes for the Clippers.
Celtics 123, Wizards 111: After attending an emotional funeral for his sister in his native Tacoma, Wash., Isaiah Thomas arrived in Boston at 4 a.m. before Game 1 of the Celtics’ second-round series.
Despite that, and the loss of a tooth to a collision in the game, Thomas had 33 points and nine assists as Boston erased a 16-0 deficit and beat Washington.
Talking about his new smile was the only time an exhausted Thomas flashed one from the podium after the contest.
“It’s tough, but it’s the playoffs so there are no excuses,” Thomas said. “I decided to play, and I just tried to give it all for my team.”
“I’ve said it before,” Celtics coach Brad Stevens said. “I’ve just been in continual amazement of the last couple of weeks with his ability to function on the basketball court and excel on the basketball court.”