Jazz Look To Take Commanding Lead Over Clippers In Game Three
Jun 11, 2021, 5:07 PM | Updated: 7:30 pm
Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard defended by Utah Jazz forward Royce O'Neale (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
(Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Utah Jazz will look to take a commanding 3-0 lead over the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday night in game three.
The Jazz won the first two games of the series in Salt Lake City to open the series before traveling to Los Angeles for games three and four.
The Clippers face a must-win game in game three, as no team in NBA history has come bak from a 3-0 series deficit.
The @utahjazz beat the @LAClippers 117-111 to take a 2-0 lead in their second round series.
Joe Ingles carried the Jazz to the win, the Clippers are losing the Kawhi/PG-13 minutes, and the Jazz are doing it all without Mike Conley. #TakeNote https://t.co/jHjYfUNR56
— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) June 11, 2021
Donovan Mitchell On Fire To Open Series
The Clippers have had no answer for Donovan Mitchell to open the series. The guard is averaging 41 points, 4.5 assists, and 3.0 rebound while shooting 52 percent from the floor and 44 percent from three.
The guard scored 45 points in game won before adding 37 in game two to help carry the Jazz to the two-game series lead.
Michell did however shows signs that he was human in the second half of game two, either dealing with injuries to right leg or due to fatigue.
Stephen A. Smith: Donovan Mitchell is the greatest player in @utahjazz history.
What do you think Jazz fans? Has Spida passed John Stockton and Karl Malone?#takenote https://t.co/9jDEDq9fNB
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) June 11, 2021
After halftime, the guard managed just 10 points on 4-13 shooting including 1-4 from the three-point line. Despite his dip in play, Mitchell insisted he was fine outside of a few bumps and bruises.
“I got hit, and it hurt, but I’m fine now,” Mitchell said. “I walked in here, I can sprint for you if you want me to.”
The Jazz will need Mitchell to continue his superstar level of play on the road if they want to keep the pressure on the Clippers in the series, especially if they continue to operate with Mike Conley who has missed both games to open the series with a strained hamstring.
Conley is listed as questionable for game three.
Clippers Looking For Answers In Game Three
Through two games, the Clippers have yet to find consistent answers for the Jazz on either end of the floor.
In game one, the Clippers kept the Jazz out of the paint in the first quarter, relegating them to becoming a three-point shooting team. While it worked over the first 12 minutes of the game, the Jazz wound up connecting on 12-30 threes over the final three quarters of the game to seal the victory.
In game two, the Clippers went to a bigger lineup with Ivica Zubac to open the game which the Jazz took advantage of, connecting on 22-39 shots inside the three-point arc while shooting 20-39 from deep.
Kawhi swipes it and goes the distance!
📺 @ESPNNBA | #ClipperNation pic.twitter.com/FezMxT4nYM
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) June 11, 2021
Time is running out for coach Tyronn Lue to solve the Jazz dangerous attack as the Clippers look to avoid falling into a 3-0 hole against Utah.
The Clippers were able to overcome a 2-0 series deficit to the Dallas Mavericks in the opening round, which included wins in games three and four on the road to even the series. While playing at home should be an easier task, the Clippers have once again found themselves in a must-win situation.
Key Matchup
Saturday’s key matchup will pit Clippers star Kawhi Leonard against the Jazz’s Bojan Bogdanovic.
In what appeared to be a lopsided affair heading into the series, Bogdanovic has been shockingly stout defensively against the two-time Finals MVP.
BOG3Y!!!#TakeNote | @44bojan pic.twitter.com/tSinDHpAKt
— utahjazz (@utahjazz) June 11, 2021
For the series, Leonard is just 3-7 for seven points with Bogdanovic as his primary defender. The Jazz have outscored LA by 20 points during All-Star’s 73 minutes on the floor.
Bogdanovic meanwhile is averaging 17 points and 4.5 rebounds for the Jazz while shooting 50 percent from the floor and 54 percent from the three-point line to open the series. The Jazz have outscored LA by 18 points in Bogdanovic’s 76 minutes.
Jazz And Clippers Broadcast Game Three
The Jazz and Clippers will tip-off game three at 6:30 pm MT. The game will be broadcast on ABC.
