But Los Angeles shot 44 percent from the field, compared to 54.1 percent for Utah.
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While Crawford’s scoring outbursts have become fewer and less frequent in recent seasons, the 37-year-old still has the ability to conjure up some of whatever it was that made him one of the most explosive scoring weapons in the National Basketball Association over a 17-year career. Paul can potentially carry this Clippers team to a first round win over the Utah Jazz, but even that is still up in the air.
From pushing the Showtime Lakers to seven games in 1988, to “The Shot” in 1997, the Stockton and Malone era carried a magical aura in April and May. Given the major injuries both teams have sustained since Game 1, Snyder is in the former camp. If the Jazz go on to win this series, they will go down as series-changing triples.
The Clippers, however, will still be without the services of Blake Griffin, whose season ended prematurely after injuring the plantar plate of his right big toe early in game three. Los Angeles prefers to run high pick-and-roll with Griffin and Chris Paul.
One major area of concern for the Clippers is the fact that Redick has yet to break free from the Jazz defense, which has focused on knocking him off of his game.
His importance in Game 4 can’t be understated.
Austin Rivers (strained left hamstring), who has missed the past 10 games, is expected to return for Game 5. They won on the strength of 17 3s, balanced scoring – five players between 11 and 18 points – and a 34-14 edge in assists.
After the Utah mascot spotted an adult Los Angeles Clippers fan display heinously unsporting conduct towards a young Jazz supporter during an on-court Zorb race on Sunday night he made the most brutal yet heroic of interventions.
“He just plays the game and obviously for us we try to get him involved as much as we can, especially when he’s going like he was in the last quarter”.
Snyder was full of praise for the 29-year-old from Adelaide, telling reporters after the game how hard Ingles has worked to become one of the NBA’s best three-point shooters and now such an efficient passer. The minute load is hefty at 36 a night, but that is not uncommon for superstar players in the playoffs.
The Jazz got Rudy Gobert back after he missed the first three games of the series with a knee injury. With Hayward out, the Jazz would once again need a miracle to get the victory. Joe Johnson – following on from his game one heroics – was clutch again in the fourth quarter.
Revenge was a dish best served by a man in a bear costume on Monday as Utah Jazz’s mascot demonstrated at Salt Lake City’s Vivint Arena. Ingles has been doing this all season for the Jazz. “Like I told Blake last night. right now he’s probably thinking, ‘Why me?’ He’s too good of a guy for this to continue to happen”.
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The Clippers and Jazz will now return to Los Angeles for game five on Tuesday. Sure, they would have liked to retain home-court advantage after stealing game 1, but even dragging this series to 6 or 7 games would have been an acceptable outcome for Utah.
