Doc Rivers anticipates that Utah Jazz at some point will be very good

Gordon Hayward

Gordon Hayward of the Utah Jazz/Photo courtesy of ESPN.com

 

The Utah Jazz were impressive in their 101-97 defeat at the hands of the Clippers on Monday at Staples Center. Missing one of their two point guards – Alec Burks – to injury, they gave the Clippers everything they wanted. Clippers coach Doc Rivers believes the Jazz will soon be a force with which to be reckoned.

“I like this young team,” Rivers said after his team had escaped with the victory. “They are going to be a really good team. They have two very good big men, and they have a great point guard. (Gordon) Hayward is also obviously good. (Rodney) Hood is going to be a good player, too. They are a young and athletic team.”

It wasn’t clear which point guard Rivers was speaking of; the other one is Trey Burke. The two big men are Enes Kanter and Rudy Gobert. Kanter is 6-foot-11, Gobert is 7-1.

As for Hayward, he is Rivers’ man-crush. The 6-8 small forward – in his fifth season – is averaging 19.0 points. He’s just 24.

There is only one player on the Jazz over 30 and that is reserve small forward Steve Novak, who is 31.

Burke is 22, Burks is 23, Gobert is 22, Kanter is 22, Hood is 22, starting power forward Derrick Favors is 23 and reserve shooting guard Dante Exum is just 19.

The Jazz are 10-21, but had won four of five before Monday. One of those victories was at Memphis.

Big games from Blake Griffin and Jamal Crawford lead to victory at Utah

Blake Griffin

Blake Griffin scored 28 points in Saturday’s victory at Utah/Photo courtesy of Los Angeles Clippers, NBA.com

 

When the Clippers embarked on their seven-game road trip, it didn’t seem like the best time because they were struggling and coming off a 105-89 loss at home to Chicago on Nov. 17.

But many of the Clippers said ahead of the road trip it could be a good thing because it could bring the team together. Perhaps, they were right.

The Clippers on Saturday night completed their road trip with a 112-96 victory at Utah. That gave the Clippers a 6-1 record on the trip, the lone loss coming at Memphis – the team with the NBA’s best record.

Blake Griffin scored 28 points on 13 of 18 shooting and sixth-man Jamal Crawford scored 22 on 8 of 17 from the field. Crawford was 4 of 9 from 3-point range as the Clippers shot 39.3 (11 of 28) from beyond the arc. They shot 56.3 percent overall.

Also, Chris Paul scored 17 points and doled out 10 assists, J.J. Redick scored 13, backup point guard Jordan Farmar scored 10 points and had two assists, DeAndre Jordan had eight points and 12 rebounds and Matt Barnes scored eight.

Utah’s Gordon Hayward led everyone with 30 points. The Jazz are 5-12.

The Clippers left 5-4 and will come home 11-5.

Among the six victories, none would qualify as really terrific because the best team in there – Houston – was missing three starters. Of the remaining five wins, four came against teams that will be hard-pressed to make the playoffs.

Still, the Clippers are looking smooth.

Blake Griffin wants to close out seven-game road trip on a positive note

Blake Griffin

Blake Griffin scored 30 points in Friday’s victory at Houston/Photo courtesy of Los Angeles Clippers, NBA.com

 

Blake Griffin late Friday night was stoked about his team’s 102-85 victory over the host Houston Rockets, but Griffin indicated he wants to finish this seven-game road trip on a positive note, so it’s time to forget the Rockets and focus on the Utah Jazz.

The Clippers (10-5) and Jazz (5-11) tangle tonight (Saturday) at 6 at EnergySolutions Arena in Salt Lake (on Prime Ticket). The Clippers are 5-1 on the trip.

“Obviously, this game was important,” said Griffin, who scored 30 points and grabbed 10 rebounds against the Rockets. “We always say that the next (game) we are about to play is the most important on the schedule. We can’t overlook anybody. It was a good win for us, but now we have to really close this thing out.”

 

 

Utah Jazz guard Trey Burke watches and learns from Chris Paul

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Chris Paul

Chris Paul/Photo courtesy of Los Angeles Clippers, NBA.com

Trey Burke

Trey Burke/Photo courtesy of Utah Jazz, NBA.com

 

Trey Burke, the second-year point guard for the Utah Jazz, did not have a good game Monday when the Clippers defeated Utah 107-101 at Staples Center. Burke scored six points on 1 of 5 shooting with four assists, four rebounds and four turnovers.

Burke, who will be 22 on Nov. 12, did pay close attention as Clippers point guard Chris Paul recorded a triple-double – 13 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds.

“He was aggressive and he was definitely a factor in tonight’s win for them,” Burke said post-game. “He got in the paint and made plays for them. It wasn’t like he was just scoring; he pretty much did everything else – rebounding, getting the open guys the ball. I can always learn playing against guys like him.”

Five things to take from Clippers’ 104-93 loss to Denver Nuggets

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Matt Barnes

Matt Barnes is 2 of 24 from the field/Photo courtesy of Los Angeles Clippers

– Jamal Crawford started in place of J.J. Redick, who was given the night off by coach Doc Rivers. Crawford has been a real bright spot on the offense thus far, and he was again with 23 points on 6 of 12 shooting. He made 4 of 7 from 3-point range as well as all seven of his free throws in 36 minutes. Crawford has played in four of the five exhibition games (the Clippers are 1-4). He has scored 14, 23, 25 and 23 points while making 27 of 48 (56.2 percent) from the field.

– Rivers started Australian Joe Ingles at small forward like he said he would. With Rivers still trying to confirm the starter there, Ingles did nothing eye-popping. He played 19 minutes, missed both of his field goal attempts and made 3 of 4 from the free-throw line for three points. He also had three rebounds, an assist and four personal fouls.

– What in the heck is going on with Matt Barnes? He missed all nine of his field-goal attempts, and was 0-for-6 from three-point range in 28 minutes off the bench. In playing four of the five games, Barnes is 2-for-24 from the field. Seriously. That is 8.3 percent.

– As a unit, Los Angeles shot just 37 percent (27 of 73), 24 percent (6 of 25) from 3-point range. Much of that damage was done by Barnes. Blake Griffin shot 9 of 19 and had 27 points, Chris Paul shot 5 of 13 for 13 points. Spencer Hawes, who has been real good, had an off night. He made just 1 of 4 from the field for six points. DeAndre Jordan was 4 of 4 from the field, but he missed both of his free-throw attempts.

– The Clippers had their highest free-throw percentage of the exhibition season. They made 33 of 45 for 73.3 percent. Their other percentages were 71, 59.1, 72.7 and 59.3. Besides Crawford’s 7-for-7 night, Griffin made 9 of 13. Ingles, Chris Paul and Hawes all made 3 of 4 and Jared Cunningham 7 of 9 in just eight minutes of action.

 

 

Clippers get their first exhibition win, 101-97 over Utah Jazz

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Jamal Crawford

Jamal Crawford/Photo courtesy of Los Angeles Clippers

 

A 3-pointer by Jamal Crawford with 18.5 seconds to play broke a 95-95 tie and the Clippers went on to their first exhibition victory, 101-97 over the visiting Utah Jazz on Friday at Staples Center.

The Clippers are 1-3, the J azz 4-1.

Crawford led Los Angeles with 25 points off the bench and backup post Spencer Hawes scored 24. Blake Griffin had 17 points for the Clippers, Chris Paul 11 and Chris Douglas-Roberts 10. DeAndre Jordan scored nine points and pulled down 17 rebounds.

Gordon Hayward led Utah with 22 points.