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5 Things To Watch In The Jazz-Clippers Series

By Adam Coffman

Mar 25, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers center Marreese Speights (5) guards Utah Jazz guard George Hill (3) as he drives to the basket in the second half of the game at Staples Center. Clippers won 108-95. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 25, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers center Marreese Speights (5) guards Utah Jazz guard George Hill (3) as he drives to the basket in the second half of the game at Staples Center. Clippers won 108-95. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 13, 2017; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Jazz forward Gordon Hayward (20) defends against LA Clippers forward Blake Griffin (32) during the fourth quarter at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Utah Jazz won the game 114-108. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 13, 2017; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Jazz forward Gordon Hayward (20) defends against LA Clippers forward Blake Griffin (32) during the fourth quarter at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Utah Jazz won the game 114-108. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports /

Blake Griffin

All eyes will be on Clippers superstar power forward Blake Griffin in this series, for a variety of reasons. For one, it’s no secret that Griffin’s free agency, which he can trigger this summer by opting out of his current deal, has been circled on the calendar of many front offices around the league for quite some time.

Should the Clippers fall to the Jazz, there’s a very real possibility that they blow up their aging core of Chris Paul (31 years old, possible free agent this summer), J.J. Reddick (32, unrestricted free agent), and DeAndre Jordan, who is under contract for the near future but has likely hit his athletic peak at 28 years old.

In the Clippers’ four games against the Jazz, Griffin averaged 16.8 points on 48 percent shooting, slightly under the 21.7 points on 50 percent from the field he put up during the regular season. More telling though, was the fact that Griffin managed just eight points on eight shots in the Jazz’s 114-108 win on March 13th.

Chris Paul picked up the slack in that game with 33 points, including five three-pointers, but stopping Griffin from getting whatever shot he wanted was an encouraging step.

Griffin is relentless attacking a switch, using his powerful 6’10”, 251-pound frame and quirky array of post moves to bludgeon mismatches quickly before help can be effective.

Derrick Favors played in just one of the previous Jazz-Clippers meetings this season. In it, Griffin scored 26, his highest output against the Jazz.

Playing at the 4 alongside Rudy Gobert, Favors just isn’t quick enough to match the foot speed and ballhandling ability of Griffin on the perimeter. It’s likely Quin Snyder uses combo forwards like Joe Ingles, Joe Johnson, or even Gordon Hayward to stop the Clippers’ star, counting on Gobert to protect the paint.

Favors would instead be used more as the backup center he usually plays as, matching up against Marreese Speights or other Clipper bigs.

Forcing role players such as Luc Mbah a Moute to beat you consistently is the best way to stop the Clippers’ offense. It’s certainly easier said than done, but considering how disruptive Griffin can be, limiting him is paramount to winning.

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