MANILA – Los Angeles Clippers cruised to a 132-106 victory against Utah Jazz in Game 3 of their NBA Western Conference semifinals series on Saturday night at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.
Kawhi Leonard top-scored with 34 points and 12 rebounds, while Paul George resurfaced on offense with 31 points, including six three-point conversions for the Clippers.
Nicholas Batum and Reggie Jackson hit double-figures on offense with 17 markers each as the Clippers trimmed their best-of-seven series deficit to 1-2.
After an eight-zero start by the Jazz, the Clippers banked on baskets by Jackson and George for a 27-23 gap. The lead ballooned to 64-49 at the half, with Leonard hitting his baskets in the second period.
Utah tried its best to keep the game close in the second half as the deficit slipped to eight, but George, Leonard, and Morris kept them at bay as the Clippers notched its largest lead at 128-100.
Donovan Mitchell tallied 30 points before leaving the game due to an ankle injury. Joe Ingles and Jordan Clarkson dropped 19 and 14 points, respectively, for the Jazz.
Meanwhile, Phoenix Suns moved a win closer from the NBA Western Conference finals after crushing the Denver Nuggets in Game 3 of the Conference semifinals, 116-102.
Devin Booker posted 28 points, while Chris Paul added 27 points, eight assists, and six rebounds as the Suns notched a 3-0 edge in the best-of-seven series.
Philadelphia 76ers, on the other hand, took a 2-1 lead in their Eastern Conference semifinals series with the Atlanta Hawks after a 127-111 Game 3 win.
Joel Embiid got 27 points, while Tobias Harris added 22 markers for the 76ers, which lost veteran guard Daniel Green in the match due to a left calf strain injury.
BOX SCORE:
LOS ANGELES 132 – Leonard 34, George 31, Batum 17, Jackson 17, Beverley 7, Mann 7, Morris 6, Kennard 6, Zubac 3, Ferrell 2, Oturu 2, Coffey 0.
UTAH 106 – Mitchell 30, Ingles 19, Clarkson 14, Gobert 12, O’Neale 12, Bogdanovic 9, Ilyasova 4, Forrest 4, Favors 2, Niang 0, Oni 0, Thomas 0, Morgan 0.
QUARTERSCORES:
27-23, 64-49, 94-83, 132-106./PN
