It was a Kawhi Leonard dunk that sent shockwaves across the NBA landscape during the Los Angeles Clippers’ Game 4 victory over the Utah Jazz. The thunderous jam was an exclamation point to the Clippers’ mollywhopping of the Jazz to even the series.
The Klaw’s violent tomahawk was the highlight of the game but it also underlined a theme that’s developed in this series. The two-headed monster of Leonard and Paul George has taken the steering wheel and the Clippers have been on full throttle since. On the other hand, the Jazz are not only having trouble slowing down LA’s duo but the absence of Mike Conley has never been fully felt till now. The playmaking for the Clippers has been a huge factor and the lack of it is slowly killing the Jazz.
Obviously, George and Leonard are putting in the points that have led to the back-to-back wins. The duo has scored at least 30 points in the last two games, putting the offense on their broad shoulders. But the key to the Clippers’ recent success has been the two initiating and facilitating the ball even though the raw assists numbers don’t tell the entire story (in Game 4, Leonard had three while George had four).
For the Clippers’ offense, which heavily relies on 3-point shooting, Leonard and George’s relentlessness to attack has opened up the floor. They won’t catch anyone off guard with a flashy pass but they will draw a ton of attention every time they go downhill. It’s no coincidence that Luke Kennard is shooting a jaw-dropping 60 percent from downtown and Reggie Jackson is right behind at 57.1 percent. And after a slow start, Marcus Morris Sr. has found his stroke in the last two games. It’s okay if nobody on the Los Angeles roster averages 18 or 20 points in this series. That’s why you have George and Leonard each averaging identical 27.3 points per game. The important thing for every Clipper is to knock down that open triple every time each of their star players drive.
As a whole, the Clippers are shooting 42.1 percent from beyond the arc and 48.2 percent overall. They’ve been picking apart the Jazz defense with ease.
The Clippers don’t really have an elite playmaker outside of Rajon Rondo and even he’s not seeing much action in the playoffs. To remedy this issue, the Clippers have doubled down on their best players, making George and Leonard the primary ball-handers and decision-makers on the floor. ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne recently featured how Clippers assistant coach and former Pistons point guard Chauncey Billups has been helping the two see the floor better. Los Angeles’ stars may not be your traditional point guards, but they are the two of the best scorers who are willing to pass.
On the flip side, the Jazz have been missing the presence of Conley. Coming off 17.4 points and 8.6 assists versus the Grizzlies, Conley has yet to play in this series because of a nagging hamstring strain. His scoring output is one thing, but his assists and playmaking are what’s really been sorely missed.
Conley was a key cog in the Jazz’s extremely dangerous pick-and-roll game during the regular season. His ability to shoot the ball well from the outside, combined with his keen eye on passing the ball with precision to a cutter or to the corner, was a problem for defenses.
To be fair, Donovan Mitchell, Joe Ingles, and Jordan Clarkson have been trying to man the fort in Conley’s absence. But the Clippers seemed to have figured things out on the defensive end. That’s what happens against elite defenses in the playoffs. The Clippers are not scared anymore of an Ingles-Rudy Gobert pick-and-roll. They’re not wary of the shooters in the corners every time Mitchell drives. Their defense is still on their toes, make no mistake, but after four games, they’ve locked in on their schemes to muddy the free-flowing style of the Jazz.
According to Utah coach Quin Snyder, there is no timetable yet on Conley’s return. This spells trouble for the Jazz and they need to figure out how to surprise the defense of the Clippers.
Both the Jazz and the Clippers are playing without a traditional point guard in this series. Leonard and George have had the ball in their hands while the Jazz have relied on the brilliance of Mitchell. The edge, however, goes to the Clippers who are more comfortable without playing a traditional lead guard. This is right in their wheelhouse. The problem now lies on the Jazz to figure out how to run their offense without Conley. Mitchell can go supernova again for the next game but that’s asking a lot. If the Jazz have another trick up their sleeve, now would be a good time to show it.
The Clippers have managed to tie the series even without a true point guard because of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George's playmaking. The Jazz, meanwhile, are struggling without Mike Conley.
