NBA playoffs 2021: George and Leonard lead Clippers past Jazz to reduce deficit

Paul George posted 20 points in the first half and finished with 31, while Kawhi Leonard top-scored with 34 of his own as the Clippers led throughout and cut Utah’s series lead to 2-1 in the NBA playoffs.

Donovan Mitchell had 30 points on 11-of-24 shooting from the field to lead the top-seeded Jazz, but by the time he found his offensive rhythm the game was largely out of hand in Los Angeles.

Mitchell did not score his first point until almost halfway through the second quarter. The last time he went scoreless in any quarter of a playoff game was April 14, 2019 against the Houston Rockets – a 32-point Utah loss.

Utah kept this one a bit closer, cutting the Clippers’ lead to eight points late in the third quarter, but George answered with a three-pointer and the Jazz could not get the margin below 10 from that point on.

? GAME 3 FINAL SCORE ?

Paul George goes for 31 PTS (6 3PM), Kawhi Leonard adds 34 PTS, 12 REB as the @LAClippers get on the board to make it a 2-1 series! Game 4: Monday at 10pm/et on TNT. #ThatsGame #NBAPlayoffs

Reggie Jackson: 17 PTS, 5 3PM
Nic Batum: 17 PTS, 4 3PM pic.twitter.com/XUA58Iozqz

— NBA (@NBA) June 13, 2021

Among the key issues for Utah was Bojan Bogdanovic’s worst performance in months. The Croatian made just two of 10 shots from the field and had nine points in the game – the first time he has been held to single digits since scoring seven in a loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on April 26.

Meanwhile, the Clippers’ supporting cast turned in an impressive showing, with Nicolas Batum and Reggie Jackson combining to make nine of their 12 three-point attempts and scoring 17 points each.

Game 4 is scheduled for Monday (June 14) in Los Angeles.

Nets at Bucks

Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks can level their Eastern Conference semi-final series with the star-studded Brooklyn Nets in Game 4 on Sunday (June 13).