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With the odds stacked against them following Kawhi Leonard's injury, the LA Clippers dug deep to eke out a 119-111 win against the Utah Jazz in Game 5. Tyronn Lue's men now have the chance to close out this Western Conference Semifinals series at home after taking a 3-2 lead.
The Utah Jazz were red-hot from downtown to start the game, but the LA Clippers responded well as the first quarter finished 37-36 in the hosts' favor. Both teams exchanged equal blows in the second as well.
It's the third quarter where the tide turned. The LA Clippers held their ground defensively and outscored the Jazz 32-18. From there onwards, it was just a case of staying the course and the visitors did just that.
Without further ado, let's look at five reasons why the LA Clippers won Game 5 against the Utah Jazz.
#1 Paul George steps up for LA Clippers in Kawhi Leonard's absence
With Kawhi Leonard out indefinitely due to a knee sprain, the onus was on Paul George to lead the LA Clippers and he did just that. George was aggressive from the get-go and countered the Utah Jazz's three-point shooting with his sinister drives to the bucket. He scored 22 points in the first half itself.
PG13 also set the tempo for the LA Clippers on the defensive end and was dominant on the glass. That also allowed him to grab rebounds and immediately push up the court while running the point.
George had to don several hats today to secure a victory for the LA Clippers in Game 5 against the Utah Jazz. Playoff P finished with 37 points, 16 rebounds, five assists and two blocks. He shot 12-of-22 from the field as well.
#2 Donovan Mitchell fails to show up for the Utah Jazz
With his teammate Bojan Bogdanovic smoking the LA Clippers, Donovan Mitchell was happy to facilitate the Utah Jazz's offense and take a step back initially. But when Bogdanovic eventually slowed down, Mitchell could not come to the fore.
Donovan Mitchell had scored 30 points in each of the last six playoff games, but that streak came to an end today. He managed just 10 points in the first three quarters. Mitchell tried to force the issue in the fourth and scored an additional 11 points to finish with 21, but was largely inefficient. He went 6-of-19 from the field tonight.
#3 Marcus Morris continues the good work for the LA Clippers
Marcus Morris was huge on both ends of the court for the LA Clippers once again. Morris regained his shooting touch in Game 4 after struggling in the first three matchups of the series. He scored 24 on Monday and did one better tonight by racking up 25 points on 10-of-16 shooting.
Most of Morris' points came during crucial junctures of the game. He scored 10 points in the first quarter to help the LA Clippers stay within reach of the Utah Jazz. He then dropped 12 points in the third quarter to give his side a monumental lead heading into the fourth.
#4 Utah Jazz dry up from downtown in the second half
The majority of the Utah Jazz's scoring came from beyond the arc today. Bojan Bogdanovic was literally unstoppable in the first quarter as he made each of his first six attempts from downtown. Jordan Clarkson joined the party soon after and the Jazz bucketed 10 three-pointers in the first period.
Even though they weren't as hot from downtown in the second quarter, the Utah Jazz still made another seven three-pointers. They went a total 17-of-30 from range in the first half. That's when the LA Clippers made the needed adjustments and started closing out the Utah Jazz shooters better after the break.
This resulted in a complete offensive breakdown for Donovan Mitchell and Co., who went 0-of-10 from deep in the third quarter. They eventually started hurling airballs and finished just 3-of-24 from three-point range in the second half.
#5 Reggie Jackson closes the game for the LA Clippers
Reggie Jackson has had a few good outings in the 2021 playoffs, but he had a forgettable showing in Game 4 against the Utah Jazz. Jackson bounced back by turning up down the stretch tonight.
Paul George was undoubtedly the best player for the LA Clippers tonight but he struggled to score in the first few minutes of the fourth quarter. He deferred the ball to Reggie Jackson a lot and the point guard obliged.
Jackson scored a contested mid-ranger, two three-pointers and a layup to effectively close out the game for the LA Clippers. He scored 22 points on 8-of-15 shooting tonight, 12 of which came in the fourth quarter. Jackson also had two steals.
Also read: Serge Ibaka asks NBA fans to fill out hilarious Paul George apology form
