Dealing with the possibility of going down 3-0 to the top-seeded Utah Jazz, the fourth-seeded LA Clippers played their best basketball of the second-round series on Saturday in a 132-106 win in Game 3. Kawhi Leonard and Paul George blazed a trail for the Clippers, as both stars eclipsed the 30-point mark in the postseason for the second time in their professions as colleagues. LA is now 2-0 in those video games. Donovan Mitchell had a team-high 30 points for allure, his 14th profession 30-point game in just 30 postseason contests, but left midway through the 4th quarter after exacerbating an ankle injury.Can the Clippers keep it rolling in Game 4? Will allure have a healthy backcourt to use on Monday? Here are five things we obtained from Game 3. MORE: Matchups, schedules and full NBA playoffs coveragePlayoff P revealed up on SaturdayOver the previous several years, nobody has taken more abuse for their playoff failures Paul George. Repeatedly, he and his groups have fallen flat in the postseason, and Georges play– and his words– have actually been dissected to an unlimited degree.Saturday night, though, was a pointer of why the Clippers went through the trouble to set George with Leonard 2 years earlier– and why Leonard himself wanted to play together with him.George finished Game 3 with 31 points and 5 assists while going 6-for-10 from 3-point variety– the type of effective offending efficiency the Clippers frantically required to get themselves back into this Western Conference semifinal, and one George required to attempt to change the impression the basketball world has of him.It has been forgotten that, throughout his time with the Indiana Pacers, George had some enormous playoff moments. Those have been overshadowed by the failures given that then– from the first-round loss to the Portland Trail Blazers, when Damian Lillard ended the series with a bomb over him from almost half court, to last years collapse against the Denver Nuggets, when George fired a 3-pointer off the side of the backboard throughout the Clippers Game 7 loss. His “Playoff P” moniker has actually become the topic of an unlimited series of jokes as a result.If he and the Clippers can dig themselves out of this hole, however, it will provide George an opportunity to reword the story thats emerged around him. As my associate Brian Windhorst enjoys saying, “Winning a champion indicates never ever needing to say youre sorry.” Saturday nights surge put George and the Clippers one action more detailed to doing so.– Tim BontempsKawhi Leonard and Paul George integrated for 65 points in the Los Angeles Clippers Game 3 win over the Utah Jazz uan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty ImagesThe Clippers find ways to assault GobertAs excellent as Donovan Mitchell was for Utah in the first two video games, Rudy Goberts impact at both ends was almost as essential. Allure were plus-19 in Goberts 69 minutes of action and outscored by 10 in the other 27 minutes in Salt Lake City. That changed Saturday, when Utah was a minus-16 with Gobert on the court– comparable to the plus-minus for the groups other starters.Monday through Friday, host Pablo Torre brings you a within take a look at the most fascinating stories at ESPN, as told by the leading reporters and insiders in the world. Listen
After going huge in Game 2 with Ivica Zubac beginning at center, the Clippers went back to their small starting lineup without a traditional center. That forced Gobert to protect a shooter on the boundary, allowing the Clippers to attack without him as close to the basket. And unlike Game 1– when they also began out-playing smallball– the Clippers avoided getting mashed on the offensive glass by the Jazz, who confined just 22.5% of available offending rebounds.The result was a 44-32 edge in points in the paint for the Clippers, who shot 55% (22-of-40) on those attempts while Utah had a hard time to finish in the paint, going 16-of-35 (46%).– Kevin PeltonKawhi is still the very best two-way player in the gameplay0:17 Kawhi Leonard takes matters into his own hands as he makes his way to the basket and skies to vandalize the rim on a powerful throwdown.play0:17 Kawhi Leonard takes matters into his own hands as he makes his way to the basket and skies to vandalize the rim on an effective throwdown.You knew Kawhi Leonard would be the very best gamer on the court for at least one video game this series.For the Clippers to have any hope of advancing, it had to occur in Game 3. As he consistently finished with LA in dire circumstances throughout the very first round, Leonard rose to the occasion.Credit to Paul George for making Leonards status as the biggest star of the Clippers win Saturday debatable. George had his finest offending efficiency of this postseason with 31 points, but Leonards extra-large fingerprints were all over the victory.Leonard controlled with his athleticism, durability and strength. He scored 34 points on 14-of-24 shooting, with majority of his pails being available in the paint. He got 12 rebounds, several of the go-up-and-get-it-in-traffic range. He was the Clippers most impactful defender, protecting Donovan Mitchell throughout much of the Jazz stars scoreless very first quarter and creating chaos as an aid defender on numerous occasions.You figured a two-time NBA Finals MVP would not decrease without a battle. Leonard landed a haymaker on Saturday night.– Tim MacMahon The Jazz need Mike Conley Jr.Donovan Mitchells heroics in the first 2 video games worked as an excellent coverup, however allure have been missing out on Mike Conley Jr. When Spida is off the flooring, Conley is typically tasked with running the offense and creating good search for non-Mitchell teammates.Get access to special initial series, premium posts from our NBA insiders, the full 30 for 30 library and more. Sign up now to unlock whatever ESPN+ needs to use.
The Clippers were ultimately going to adjust to the Jazzs offensive schemes, and did so in Game 3.– Andre SnellingsReggie Jackson, the X-factorWhen the Clippers were rounding out the pieces on the lineup to match their 2 stars, they probably didnt exactly anticipate Reggie Jackson to become a deadeye spot-up shooter and crucial 3rd scorer.But as this series advances, Jacksons value is becoming obvious. If Jackson is going to consistently offer the kind of production of a pseudo third start, all of a sudden the Clippers start looking like the very team they were assumed to be.

Donovan Mitchell had a team-high 30 points for the Jazz, his 14th profession 30-point video game in simply 30 postseason contests, but left midway through the 4th quarter after intensifying an ankle injury.Can the Clippers keep it rolling in Game 4? Time after time, he and his groups have actually fallen flat in the postseason, and Georges play– and his words– have been dissected to an endless degree.Saturday night, however, was a tip of why the Clippers went through the trouble to set George with Leonard two years back– and why Leonard himself wanted to play together with him.George ended up Game 3 with 31 points and five assists while going 6-for-10 from 3-point variety– the kind of efficient offending performance the Clippers frantically required to get themselves back into this Western Conference semifinal, and one George needed to try to alter the impression the basketball world has of him.It has been forgotten that, throughout his time with the Indiana Pacers, George had some enormous playoff moments. Those have actually been overshadowed by the failures considering that then– from the first-round loss to the Portland Trail Blazers, when Damian Lillard ended the series with a bomb over him from almost half court, to last years collapse against the Denver Nuggets, when George fired a 3-pointer off the side of the backboard throughout the Clippers Game 7 loss. And unlike Game 1– when they also began out-playing smallball– the Clippers avoided getting mashed on the offensive glass by the Jazz, who corralled just 22.5% of offered offensive rebounds.The result was a 44-32 edge in points in the paint for the Clippers, who shot 55% (22-of-40) on those attempts while Utah had a hard time to finish in the paint, going 16-of-35 (46%).– Kevin PeltonKawhi is still the finest two-way gamer in the gameplay0:17 Kawhi Leonard takes matters into his own hands as he makes his method to the basket and skies to vandalize the rim on a powerful throwdown.play0:17 Kawhi Leonard takes matters into his own hands as he makes his method to the basket and skies to vandalize the rim on an effective throwdown.You understood Kawhi Leonard would be the finest player on the court for at least one video game this series.For the Clippers to have any hope of advancing, it had to take place in Game 3.