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An embattled LA Clippers will take on their biggest challenge in the NBA Playoffs when they face off against the Utah Jazz in their best-of-seven semifinals series. Having come off a tough seven-game series against the Dallas Mavericks, the Clippers believe they are better equipped to take on their next assignment.
But Utah are a tough nut to crack and the LA Clippers indeed have an uphill task on their hands to reach the NBA Finals for the first time in the franchise's history. The Jazz owned the league’s best regular season record (52-20) and are a much more formidable foe than the Mavs.
Led by All-Stars Mike Conley, Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, the Jazz have one of the most talented rosters in the league. The bench squad is led by 2021 Sixth Man of the Year winner Jordan Clarkson and finalist Joe Ingles.
So how do the LA Clippers hope to stop the Utah Jazz juggernaut? Here are three ways in which they can:
#3 Rotate the ball
The LA Clippers had the second-most efficient offense in the league (115.2) and the third-best offensive rating (116.7) during the regular season. But they are almost a middle-of-the pack team in assist ratio at 18.4 (tied for 11th). The Clippers could do better if they start using more consistent playmaking from their top two stars.
It’s no wonder that the LA Clippers won Game 7 against the Mavs with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George finishing with nine and 10 assists respectively.
The Jazz have the No. 3 defense in the league and the LA Clippers cannot afford to be predictable with their offense if they want to avoid the pitfalls from the opening round of the playoffs. If they can keep the defense guessing, the Clippers won’t fall into the Jazz’s trap of funneling players to Gobert.
#2 Get Gobert into early foul trouble
Speaking of Gobert, the 2021 Defensive Player of the Year candidate had the best defensive rating in the NBA this season (100.5). He's the biggest reason why the Jazz have one of the top defenses in the league.
It’s no coincidence that the Memphis Grizzlies’ lone victory against Utah happened in Game 1 when Gobert got into foul trouble and then fouled out with 4:25 left in the game. Without the Jazz big man to finish off the game, the Grizzlies then scored on five shots within 10 feet of the basket, including a layup by Dillon Brooks with 4.3 seconds to play. The final score was 112-109 in favor of the Grizzlies.
Rather than stray away from the paint, the LA Clippers should make it a priority to attack the Jazz’s rim protector early. Getting him into foul trouble from the start will not only make Gobert tentative on defense, but it will also force coach Quin Snyder to sit him and give Tyronn Lue’s interior scorers more breathing room.
#1 LA Clippers should go small when possible
Rather than continue to match size for size with the Dallas Mavericks in Round 1 of the NBA Playoffs, coach Tyronn Lue insisted on a small lineup featuring Nicolas Batum as the starting center, beginning in Game 4. The LA Clippers routed the Mavs 106-81 in that game and won two of the next three matches thereafter.
Since one of the LA Clippers’ most important tasks is to negate Gobert’s effectiveness, giving the Jazz a different look when the former Defensive Player of the Year is around could help decide the series. However, the Clippers’ shooters will have to be ready to fire away and knock down their shots when Gobert helps out.
The LA Clippers were the league’s best 3-point shooting team percentage-wise (41.01%). The only reason why they couldn’t finish off the Mavs much earlier was because their shooters failed to make their threes (35.4%) in the postseason.
Going small will only work for the LA Clippers if their personnel can leave their shooting woes behind them and start afresh against the Jazz. But it’s a must for Leonard and company to neutralize the size mismatch and regain their regular-season shooting form to have a chance against a title contender team.
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