Paul George had 37 points and 16 rebounds, and the LA Clippers went on a 14-5 run in the third quarter to beat the Utah Jazz 119-111 for a 3-2 lead in the Western Conference semifinals.
It was tied at 69 when George’s driving layup put the Clippers ahead for good with 9:43 left in the third quarter. He scored 6 points as they pulled away to an 83-74 lead with 5:30 left in the quarter.
The Jazz got within 100-97 on Donovan Mitchell’s three-point play with 5:46 to play, but Reggie Jackson answered with a 3-pointer, and the Jazz got no closer than 107-103.
During clutch time, the Clippers outscored the Jazz 7-0.
Marcus Morris Sr. scored 25 points (12 in the third quarter) on 10 for 16 shooting, and Jackson added 22 points. Jackson scored 12 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter. The Clippers had 3 20-point scorers.
For the Jazz, Bojan Bogdanovic scored 32 points (18 in the first quarter) with 9 3-pointers, and Mitchell added 21 points but shot 6 for 19.
The Clippers shot 51.2% from the field and 40.0% from 3 to the Jazz’s 45.0% and 37.0%. The Jazz made 20 3-pointers, 9 of them by Bogdanovic and 4 by Mitchell. The Clippers’ starters outscored the Jazz 70-55 in 22 minutes together. Royce O'Neale fouled out.