When speaking with media before tip against the Clippers, head coach Will Hardy was asked about Utah’s recent run of close games. Twelve of the Jazz’s last 13 games have come down to the final minute, with the last two decided by a single point.
“I feel that in my core,” was his response.
Well, Hardy’s core got a break on Wednesday night.
Coming out hot from the start and never trailing, the Jazz led by as many as 25 and cruised to the 126-103 victory over the LA Clippers.
“I thought our team showed focus for all four quarters. … Winning all four quarters is hard to do in an NBA game,” Hardy said. “There’s always going to be parts in games where teams are missing people — we’ve been in that position before — but you still have to play game. … I thought that our team’s focus throughout the entire game is why we were able to pull out the victory.”
It’s nice to have Lauri Markkanen back.
After missing the past two games while dealing with a left hip contusion, The Finnisher picked up precisely where he left off. He finished with 34 points — 24 in the first half — and 12 rebounds, shooting 11-of-20 from the floor and 6-for-8 from deep.
While it’s expected to show a little rust after missing some time, Markkanen came out firing from the start with seven straight points to begin the game. Those points are precisely why he’s made a giant leap forward as they came at all three levels — a bucket at the rim off a drive, a midrange pull-up, and a deep three.
“It was another game where Lauri seems to do a little bit of everything,” Hardy said. “He made threes, got to the basket with force. … He’s continuing to grow every night before our eyes by understanding there’s a lot of ways to be effective in this game.”
Walker Kessler was right back at it two days after making a little league history.
Ever since being inserted into the starting lineup following the ankle injury to Kelly Olynyk, the rookie has shined in nearly every facet of the game — and Wednesday was more of the same.
Being a force on both ends of the court, Kessler finished with his third straight double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. He also added three assists and two blocks, further showing his growth as a complete player.
After a rough start to the season when it came to shooting the ball, Mike Conley has officially broken out of his slump.
Although he’s been showing signs the past two weeks of coming out of it, he put it all together Wednesday with his best shooting performance of the season. He finished with 17 points, nine assists, and four rebounds, knocking down 5-of-6 from beyond the arc.
“Mike got into a good rhythm,” Hardy said. “We have a lot of guys we don't have to urge to shoot the ball but Mike, more than anyone, is someone I've had to encourage to shoot more, He’s so unselfish and thinks pass first, but tonight he picked his opportunities to shoot the ball and he knocked them down.”
As far as starts go, it couldn’t have gone any better for Markkanen. After attacking the paint early for two quick buckets, he showed off his range with a three-pointer and the 7-0 lead. Kessler would make it 9-0 after a steal and coast-to-coast dunk, forcing a Clippers timeout less than two minutes in.
After Norman Powell got cooking for the Clippers, cutting the deficit to 11-5, the Jazz caught fire from deep as Jordan Clarkson, Conley, and Malik Beasley hit threes on three straight possessions as part of an 11-3 run.
The Clippers would respond again, but Markkanen drilled a three as the Jazz led 36-26 after one.
Markkanen stayed hot to start the second, scoring 11 points in the first three minutes as the Jazz appeared to run away with the game after opening up an 18-point lead.
But LA is a team full of veterans and kept chipping away, cutting the deficit to nine with just over three to go following an Ivica Zubac and-one. Conley answered for Utah, scoring eight straight as the Jazz regained the double-digit lead.
Powell continued to play well for LA, scoring the final five points of the half — but the Jazz still led 68-56 at the break.
LA came out feisty to start the third, quickly trimming the deficit to nine following a pair of Marcus Morris Sr. free throws. Markkanen answered for Utah, igniting a 7-0 run with a deep three — but his biggest highlight came when he threw down a ferocious dunk over Zubac to ignite the crowd.
However, that dunk had some competition for highlight of the quarter.
Late in the quarter, Ochai Agbaji blocked a fast break, Clarkson saved the ball from going out of bands with a pass between his legs, and Jared Vanderbilt hit Collin Sexton in the stride, who threw down a vicious one-handed slam.
Utah led 95-81 after three.
Conley took over to start the fourth, igniting an 11-3 run with a pair of threes before finding Vanderbilt for a three as Utah opened up a 22-point lead.
LA wouldn’t go down without a fight, cutting the deficit to 13 with just under six to play, but Utah answered. A 14-2 run, punctuated by a Clarkson dunk, ended the game.
Clarkson finished with 16 points, four assists, and two dunks, while Beasley added 13 points and four rebounds — every starter scored in double figures.
Sexton added 11 points off the bench, while Vanderbilt chipped in nine points, three rebounds, and three assists.
Utah returns to action on Friday when the Jazz welcome Kyrie Irving and the Brooklyn Nets to Vivint Arena. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. MT.