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Jazz beat Clippers with a late run: 3 takeaways from Game 4

By Connor Learn

Apr 21, 2017; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; LA Clippers forward Paul Pierce (34) reacts in the final seconds of the game in front of Utah Jazz forward Joe Johnson (6) as they beat the Utah Jazz 111-106 in game three of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Swinger-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 21, 2017; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; LA Clippers forward Paul Pierce (34) reacts in the final seconds of the game in front of Utah Jazz forward Joe Johnson (6) as they beat the Utah Jazz 111-106 in game three of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Swinger-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Utah Jazz defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 105-98 on Sunday night. Joe Johnson’s 13 fourth quarter points helped lead a Jazz comeback that tied the series at 2-2.

Rudy Gobert returned for the Jazz and then Gordon Hayward proceeded to miss all but nine minutes with food poisoning. Gobert and Derrick Favors lifted the Jazz to a 55-52 halftime lead, while Los Angeles was led by Jamal Crawford’s 15 points through two quarters. As he has done in this series, Chris Paul took over the game in the second half. The Jazz, led by Joe Johnson, answered with a late fourth quarter run to win the game.

Joe Johnson and Joe Ingles were instrumental in securing a victory. Johnson scored 28 points and added 5 rebounds and assists; Ingles added two late 3-pointers that sealed the game and dished out 11 assists. Rudy Gobert put up 15 points and 13 boards in his return. For the losing Clippers, Chris Paul led the scoring, with 27. He added 12 assists and 9 rebounds as well. Jamal Crawford scored 25 points for the visiting squad.

Takeaways

Rudy Gobert was a major contributor in his return: Utah’s star center returned from a hyperextended and bruised knee that he sustained early in Game 1. Overall, he played admirably through his injury in his return. He started and managed to play 23 minutes tonight; his play was a key factor in the Jazz victory. He helped keep Utah afloat during Gordon Hayward’s absence and he was more effective than most fans would have thought before the game.

That being said, Gobert wasn’t the All-NBA caliber player that he was during the regular season. What makes him a special defensive player is how he combines his extremely rare length with unusual mobility. His mobility was impeded during this game due to his knee, and naturally his level of play fell of some. Gobert managed to grab 13 rebounds but didn’t cover the same range on defense. He got beat at the rim by Raymond Felton but still had enough in him to posterize Marreese Speights a few possessions later. Gobert’s performance was impressive given the circumstances and similar efforts will be needed in advancing to the second round.

Jamal Crawford stepped up: Blake Griffin and Chris Paul combined to score over half of the Clippers’ points in their Game 1 loss. Facing the absence of Griffin moving forward, there was a scoring hole to fill. Enter professional scorer Jamal Crawford. He scored 25 points on 9-13 shooting and provided the boost that Los Angeles needed in Game 4. Crawford is asked to step up and score when he is needed to in his sixth man role, and that is exactly what did tonight.

While it may be hard for Crawford to emulate this performance moving forward, the Clippers will need his contributions to win this series. His average of 9.0 points in the first three games of the series won’t suffice. Blake Griffin was the Clippers’ leading scorer and DeAndre Jordan can only help make up for the loss of a volume scorer to a certain degree. Add in Austin Rivers being injured and J.J. Redick being rendered ineffective as well, and there is a major playmaking void that Crawford needs to help fill.

The Jazz find successful playmaking beyond Gordon Hayward: Hayward played nine minutes before leaving the game with food poisoning. Enter the Joes: Johnson and Ingles. Johnson stepped up as the leading scorer for Utah, including 11 straight in the fourth quarter to put the Jazz ahead. Ingles stepped up as a playmaker tonight as well. His 11 assists and timely shooting gave Utah the boost they needed with Hayward out and George Hill submitting a sub-par game by his standards.

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Though their players won’t be at 100 percent moving forward in this series, Utah’s main core should remain intact when Hayward returns from his bout with food poisoning in Game 5. They likely won’t find themselves in another where they need the Joes to take on a heavy offensive load. But Johnson and Ingles were instrumental in helping tie this series. Game 4 could be the turning point of this series. Los Angeles isn’t the same team without Blake Griffin and securing this game could very well have been one they needed to advance. Game 5 should be another good one from this series.

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