National Basketball Association
LA Clippers 108, Utah 95
When: 3:30 PM ET, Saturday, March 25, 2017
Where: Staples Center, Los Angeles, California
Officials: #43 Dan Crawford, #36 Brent Barnaky, #73 Tre Maddox
Attendance: 19060

LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Clippers are heading to the playoffs for the sixth season in a row. Still, they need to improve their game if they expect to make a deep run, guard Jamal Crawford says.

Crawford came off the bench to deliver 17 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter and the Clippers rolled past the Utah Jazz 108-95 on Saturday at Staples Center.

Blake Griffin contributed 15 points and six rebounds for the Clippers (44-30), who clinched a playoff berth with the win and pulled within a half-game of the Jazz for the fourth seed in the Western Conference.

Chris Paul scored 14 points, J.J. Redick added 12 and Austin Rivers and Marreese Speights had 11 apiece for Los Angeles. DeAndre Jordan grabbed a game-high 15 rebounds to go with seven points.

"We want to continue to build on what we're doing," said Crawford, who connected on 8 of 12 shots from the floor and 3 of 6 from 3-point range. "Obviously, we're playing a lot better the last week or so and it's been much better than it's been the last few weeks. So for us, it's about kind of peaking at the right time and getting that momentum heading into the playoffs."

Paul said he sensed Crawford would have a big game.

"I can tell by the way that he is moving, and I don't know if you can see during the game, whenever he gets going like that I am probably the fist one to jump (off) of the bench," said Paul, who managed 5-of-18 shooting and misfired on all eight of his 3-point attempts. "I have been with Jamal for a while now and I know him, just like he knows me.

"We always say 'he has his dancing shoes on,' so when he gets moving it is trouble for (opponents)."

Rudy Gobert had 26 points and 14 rebounds to pace the Jazz (44-29), who have lost three of their last four. Joe Johnson collected 17 points and Gordon Hayward scored 13 before the leaving midway through the fourth quarter with a knee injury.

Utah coach Quin Snyder said Hayward appeared to be fine. Snyder said he believed Hayward sustained a bruise.

Los Angeles has defeated Utah in 18 of its past 20 meetings, including the last five games at Staples.

"I think one team came out ready and the other team came out not as ready," said Gobert, who made 10 of 13 shots from the floor but committed four turnovers. "Right from the beginning, they jumped us and we weren't ready. That's how it is. That's what happened the last few games, also, and we came out the same way tonight."

The Clippers opened the fourth quarter with 12-3 run for an 84-73 edge after Crawford scored on a drive with 7:16 remaining. The Jazz never got any closer than nine the rest of the way.

"They were more aggressive than us in the beginning of the game," Snyder said. "I just thought they started the game with more aggression and physicality. It kind of knocked us back."

The Jazz rallied in the third quarter after trailing by as much as 15 points. Utah used a 20-4 surge to tie the score at 70 after a bucket by Johnson with 35 seconds left in the quarter. A basket by Paul Pierce gave the Clippers a 72-70 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

The Clippers raced to a 28-14 advantage after one quarter before the Jazz cut it to 49-41 at the break.

The Clippers' bench outscored the Jazz's 56-32.

"The reserves saved us," Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. "The starters got us the lead. I thought the first half was a good as I've seen us play in some ways because we couldn't make a shot. We were missing layups, we were missing wide open 3s and yet we were still up seven."

NOTES: Jazz C Rudy Gobert has a blocked shot in 41 consecutive games, which is the longest streak in the NBA. Gobert has a block in 69 of the Jazz's 73 games. ... Clippers F Paul Pierce, who scored four points against the Jazz, is 14 points shy of passing John Havlicek (26,395) for 15th place on the league's career scoring list. ... Utah F Derrick Favors (left knee bone contusion) missed his ninth straight game. ... The Jazz host the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday. ... The Clippers play the Sacramento Kings on Sunday at Staples Center.
Top Game Performances
 
Utah   LA Clippers
Rudy Gobert 26 Scoring Jamal Crawford 28
Boris Diaw 5 Assists Chris Paul 5
Rudy Gobert 14 Rebounds DeAndre Jordan 15
Rudy Gobert 6 Free Throws Made Jamal Crawford 9
Rodney Hood 2 Steals Blake Griffin 3
Rudy Gobert 2 Blocks Marreese Speights 3
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
Utah 95 43.0 8-26 13-18 22 43 3 5 14
LA Clippers 108 45.2 7-27 25-28 14 47 5 9 10
Upcoming Games
  • LA Clippers will play their next game at home against Sacramento. The Clippers have a W/L % of .682 after a win and .467 after a loss.
  • Utah will play their next game at home against New Orleans. The Jazz have a W/L % of .636 after a win and .552 after a loss.