Jazz Take 2-0 Series Lead Over Clippers Behind Mitchell’s 37 Points

Donovan Mitchell has been dominant for the Utah Jazz. Utah was able to hold off the Los Angeles Clippers for a 117-111 win in Game 2 Thursday night.

Utah is 6-0 with Mitchell in the starting lineup this postseason, and he’s averaging 32.7 points per game. In Game 1, Mitchell torched the Clippers’ defense, scoring 45 points in a Jazz 112-109 win. He scored 32 of his 45 points in the second half of Game 1.

The Jazz star continued the big production in Thursday’s game by dropping 37 points in another Utah win to take a commanding 2-0 series lead. Just three minutes into Game 2, the All-Star had already racked up 10 points, and by the end of the first half, he had 27.

“He’s just stepping up in a big way,” Jordan Clarkson said of Mitchell. “He’s been a real superstar, MVP-caliber player, All-NBA type of guy. That’s his job, and that’s what he does.”

At the end of the first half, Utah had a 66-53 lead. The scoring continued, and Utah built a 21-point lead in the third quarter. Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue, though, was able to find a way to stop Mitchell and Utah’s offense late in the game. The Clippers employed a zone defense that brought them to within seven points heading into the fourth quarter.

In the final quarter, the Clippers were able to take the lead from the Jazz as Utah’s offense stagnated for a while. Reggie Jackson hit back-to-back threes, giving Los Angeles the lead. However, Utah’s Joe Ingles starred in the final quarter as he helped facilitate a game-ending 9-0 run that sealed the win for Utah.

Ingles and Clarkson finished each with 19 and 24 points respectively in the Jazz win.

Following Thursday’s win, Utah has a 2-0 series lead. So far, Mitchell is averaging 41.0 points on 52.5% shooting against the Clippers.

“I don’t feel like I have to go out there and do everything,” Mitchell said. “I think that’s a credit to my teammates, credit to the guys that we have on this team. They can go out there and make plays… I don’t feel like I have to go up there, walk it up, do everything. There are times where I will have to do that. That’s just part of my job, but for me, it’s great to have a group of guys that trust you and you trust. You just go out there and play and have fun.”

Article by Allan Perez