LOS ANGELES – – Donovan Mitchell scored 24 points, Rudy Gobert scored 23 points and 20 rebounds, and the Utah Jazz outscored the Los Angeles Clippers shorts 114-96 Wednesday night for their ninth straight win.
Jordan Clarkson scored 18 points for the NBA Jazz leader, who improved to 24-5 with his twentieth win in 21 games. After a tight three-quarters, Utah broke him in fourth place to win this showdown between Western Conference center-backs, though it wasn’t a proper showdown as the Clippers missed injured superstars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. .
With the Gobert of 7 feet and 1 scoring 17 points in the second half while playing a dominant game at both ends of the court, the Jazz beat the Clippers for the ninth time in the team’s last 12 bouts.
“I think it really started from the defensive end, our physicality,” Gobert said. “They were very aggressive in the first half. They just played more than us. Regardless of who we play for, we can’t let that happen if we are the team we want to be. In the second half, we became more aggressive and got better shots.
After a tough first half that didn’t look like Utah’s impressive recent play, the Jazz opened up a tight game with a 14-2 run that spanned the third and fourth quarters, followed by a 16-run run. -3 to leave it out.
“(Gobert) was the aggressor on defense, at the tables, everywhere,” Mitchell said. “It simply came to our notice then. He did it from the jump. This is the Rudy we need every day, and he has been doing it. “
Lou Williams scored 16 points and Reggie Jackson added 15 for the Clippers, the four-game winning streak ended.
The Clippers were deeply disadvantaged in this heavyweight bout: Leonard missed his third straight game with a bruised leg and George missed his seventh straight game with an injured finger. Nicolas Batum was also left with a concussion, leaving LA without three regular starters.
“I can’t blame our effort and our competition, (but) it’s just one of those games where they played well enough to beat us, especially in the fourth quarter when they started,” the Clippers coach said. Tyronn Lue. “That’s why they’re the best in the league on defense, for the way they make you play.”
The Clips fell to 3-2 this season when they played without Leonard or George.
The Jazz played without Mike Conley, who had hamstring strain.
ADVICES
Jazz: Conley has lost six games in a row. … Clarkson, a former Lakers goalie, added 11 points in the second half. On Monday he fell 40 to the 76ers.
Clippers: Batum lost its second straight game after throwing itself into the head last week. … Patrick Beverley returned after losing Monday’s win over Miami to rest on the second date of a straight set.
GOOD START
Despite his absence from injury, the Clippers ’supporting cast made Utah uncomfortable on offense throughout the first half. Los Angeles took a 51-46 lead at halftime while profoundly beating Utah, forcing poor shots and disturbing their normally fluid ball movement.
Both teams credited Gobert with changing the game after the break.
“His guard play is pretty good in the selection and so when you have a great guy like Rudy Gobert setting up solid screens, it makes it hard to guard him,” said Amir Coffey, who scored 13 points for Los Angeles. “He does a good job finishing around the edge and cleaning up the fouls. Sometimes it’s hard to manage what you can do. “
UNTIL NEXT
The teams meet again Friday at the Staples Center.
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