The Jazz defeated the Clippers in a thrilling Game 1, by far the best game of the second round thus far.
What a game. The Utah Jazz defeated the LA Clippers 112-109 Tuesday night, in Game 1 of the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal, a game that can only be described as a thriller. It had everything really, from large deficits to electric comebacks, a superstar turn by Donovan Mitchell and the quiet excellence of Kawhi Leonard. Luke Kennard looked like an All-Star at times, while Jordan Clarkson was a flamethrower. It took a block of Marcus Morris Sr. by Rudy Gobert — there is probably already a mural in the works for Vivint Arena — for the Jazz to walk away with the win and a 1-0 series lead. RUDY GOBERT BLOCKS MORRIS FTW pic.twitter.com/u5XhUIVFn3 There are things from Game 1 that probably won’t be replicated again any time soon, such as the Jazz’s incredibly poor shooting in the first quarter, or Paul George ’s overall struggles, but the overall feel of the game was that of a slugfest, and that feeling is likely to continue in each and every game of the series. The Clippers are largely considered the most talented team remaining in the Western Conference playoffs, while the Jazz were the NBA’s best team in the regular season. Nine of 16 ESPN writers picked the Clippers to win the series, while seven picked the Jazz. Related Given the split nature of those predictions, plus the fact that Game 1 was the best and closest game of any second round series thus far, every indication is that the Jazz-Clippers series will be the best of the conference semifinals. It has everything a great series needs. Who will win? That will likely come down to the play of Leonard, George and Mitchell — plus the health of Mike Conley — and Mitchell won that battle in Game 1. Entering the second round, the generally expected best series — the one many national media believed to be the “real” NBA Finals — was the Eastern Conference semifinal between the Brooklyn Nets and the Milwaukee Bucks. The idea was that Brooklyn’s superstar heavy team, featuring Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving, might meet its match in the form of two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and his supporting cast, including All-Stars Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday.
