A 22-15 second quarter gave the Jazz control and they were threatened after that.
The Jazz have given us fans a thrill ride all season long and the exhilarating Game 7 series against LA couldn't have been much better. Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant conspired to stun them in Game 5, as the Thunder rallied from a 13-point deficit on the road for a slim 105-104 win.
Five-time NBA All-Star Griffin was sidelined a year ago in a first-round playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers with a quad injury.
"It came down to today to keep us afloat, keep us alive", Paul said. "Guys on the weak side were rotated, making them make the extra pass and make some other guys try to create for them".
Favors also grabbed 11 rebounds before fouling out with 5:24 remaining to fill a void left by Jazz center Rudy Gobert, who also was plagued by fouls. The trio helped steady the team during the regular season when the lineup was ravaged by injuries to Hayward, Hood, Favors and even Hill. "I felt like I owed them, especially in this game". The 39-year-old forward had six points and three rebounds in 21 minutes for the Clippers. We can not even put the blame on the team around him because he has DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griffin, which leads me to my next point. Clippers lead that match by 16-13-13 continuous points wining series.
Joe Ingles had 12 points, Rodney Hood scored 11 and Joe Johnson and Boris Diaw had 10 each for Utah.
That led to guys learning new roles, learning how to adapt, and play in different combinations - all things that mattered against the Clippers and in Game 7.
'American Idol' to return on ABC
The victor then received a "Dream Ticket" that granted them front-of-the-line privileges at future " American Idol " auditions. It's worth noting, however, that despite the dimming of " Idol's " power, ABC could very much use the series on its schedule.
To do that, the Jazz will need their big man to stay upright: "It's Game Seven", Gobert said.
The Jazz comeback, led by Gordon Hayward, who scored 14 points in the final period, fell short in the end.
If the National Basketball Association actually were that uncomplicated, a team named the Jazz wouldn't play in Utah and a team named the Clippers wouldn't play at all.
The victor advances to the second round to meet the Golden State Warriors in a best-of-seven affair beginning Tuesday at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif. Rivers was charged with a foul on the play.
As for the Clippers, they had the biggest game from DeAndre Jordan in a while.
The Los Angeles Clippers will take on the Utah Jazz in what will definitely be an exciting game. While Doc Rivers has said he wants to re-sign Griffin, there's a sense around the league that he is more likely to leave Los Angeles - either by his wishes or the team's - than Chris Paul (who also will opt out and be a free agent). He is a very good scorer and good rebounder, but he is nearly guaranteed to get hurt at some point in the season, and he has been a letdown in his playoff appearances.
"The problem with Utah is that you're just sitting there and your mind is, like, dead, because in L.A., you still got energy for the game", Andre Iguodala told ESPN's Chris Haynes. Pierce is scheduled to retire after the season.
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