NBA News Wire
Clippers 101, Jazz 97
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
LOS ANGELES — Forward Blake Griffin scored 24 points and handed out seven assists and point guard Chris Paul finished with 20 points and eight assists, guiding the Los Angeles Clippers to a 101-97 victory over the Utah Jazz on Monday night at Staples Center.
Paul, who also had five rebounds and four steals, scored 13 points in the second half as the Clippers (21-11) bounced back from a 110-98 setback to the Toronto Raptors on Saturday, snapping their eight-game winning streak at home. They also defeated the Jazz for a franchise-record 12th consecutive time. The Clippers are 3-0 against Utah this season.
Guards J.J. Redick and Jamal Crawford scored 17 points apiece for Los Angeles.
Utah made Los Angeles work for this win. However, two missed foul shots by Favors with 31.6 seconds remaining cost the Jazz, who had won four of their past five before falling to the Clippers. Griffin made one of two free throws with 7.9 seconds remaining to seal the decision.
Forward Gordon Hayward led the Jazz with 22 points, seven assists and four rebounds. Center Enes Kanter added 16 points, while forward Derrick Favors had 15 points and nine rebounds.
The Jazz rallied from a 48-44 halftime deficit to take a 77-72 lead after a three-point play by reserve center Rudy Gobert with 1:25 remaining in the third quarter. However, a Crawford jumper and a 3-point basket by Paul with 35.6 seconds left in the quarter knotted the score at 77 heading into the final period.
Backup center Spencer Hawes, who returned after missing nine games with a left knee bruise, gave the Clippers a 90-88 advantage with 6:18 left in the game. They never trailed again. Utah closed to within one on three occasions, but each time Los Angeles answered. The final time occurred on two free throws by Favors with 2:13 remaining, but a tip-in by center DeAndre Jordan pushed the lead back to three.
Clippers forward Matt Barnes scored all 13 of his points in the first half.
NOTES: Clippers coach Doc Rivers said he believes his club will eventually develop a stronger presence on defense, but its recent play hasn’t reflected it. “We just haven’t really played well defensively,” Rivers said. The Clippers allowed 103.2 points per game and averaged 108.9 points in 15 contests this month entering Monday’s game. “Our offensive numbers have stayed the same. I don’t think we’ve played well offensively, either. We’ve just won enough games to make it look better. I think our transition ‘D’ is the first thing we’ve slipped on.” … Utah played without reserve G Alec Burks, who missed his second game in a row with a left shoulder injury. … The Jazz host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday. … The Clippers play the New York Knicks on Wednesday at Staples Center.
