LOS ANGELES – Donovan Mitchell scored 24 points, Rudy Gobert had 23 points and 20 rebounds, and Utah Jazz overtook the Los Angeles Clippers by 114 to 96 on Wednesday night, taking the ninth consecutive victory.
Jordan Clarkson scored 18 points for Jazz, the NBA leader, who improved to 24-5 with his 20th win in 21 games. After three tight quarters, Utah opened on Wednesday to win this Western Conference power clash – although it was not a proper clash with the Clippers losing the injured stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.
With Gobert at 2.10 meters scoring 17 points in the second half in a dominant game at both ends of the court, Jazz beat the Clippers for the ninth time in the team’s last 12 fights.
“I think it really started on the defensive side, our physicality,” said Gobert. “They were very aggressive in the first half. They were just playing heavier than us. Regardless of who we play, we can’t let that happen if we want to be the team we want to be. In the second half, we became more aggressive and got better shots ”.
After a difficult first half that didn’t look like Utah’s impressive recent game, Jazz opened up a tight game with a 14-2 run in the third and fourth quarters, followed by a 16-3 run to put it out. .
“(Gobert) was the aggressor in the defense, on the boards, everywhere,” said Mitchell. “This is something that really set the tone. He did it since the jump. This is the Rudy we need every day, and he’s been doing it. “
Lou Williams scored 16 points and Reggie Jackson added 15 for the Clippers, whose four-game winning streak ended.
The Clippers were profoundly disadvantaged in this heavyweight showdown: Leonard lost his third game in a row with an injured leg, and George lost his seventh in a row with an injured toe. Nicolas Batum also suffered 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 period, when they started,” said Clippers coach Tyronn Lue. “That’s why they are the best in the league defensively, because of the way they make you play.”
The Clips dropped to 3-2 this season when playing without Leonard and George.
Jazz played without Mike Conley, who had tendon stiffness.
TIP-INS
Jazz: Conley has lost six consecutive games. … Clarkson, the former Lakers point guard, scored 11 points in the second half. He dropped 40 in the 76ers on Monday.
Clippers: Batum lost his second straight game after being shot in the head last week. … Patrick Beverley returned after losing Monday’s victory over Miami to rest in the second game of a consecutive set.
GOOD START
Despite their injury absences, the Clippers’ support cast made Utah uncomfortable in the attack during the first half. Los Angeles had a 51-46 lead for the break while overtaking Utah, forcing bad kicks and disturbing the normally fluid movement of the ball.
Both teams credited Gobert for changing the game after the break.
“Their guard game is very good in pick-and-roll, so when you have a big one like Rudy Gobert adjusting solid screens, it’s hard to defend him,” said Amir Coffey, who scored 13 points for Los Angeles. “It does a good job of finishing around the edge and cleaning up errors. Sometimes it is difficult to deal with what he can do. “
NEXT
The teams meet again on Friday at the Staples Center.
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