Utah Jazz-Los Angeles Clippers: Donovan Mitchell takes on Sweet Lou
The Utah Jazz look to separate themselves from the pack in the wild West while the hungry LA Clippers are eager to push their way into the playoff picture. The backcourt matchup of Donovan Mitchell and Lou Williams will go a long way in deciding this highly anticipated contest.
The LA Clippers lent a helping hand to the Utah Jazz with a win over the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday night, moving the Jazz to the fourth spot in the Western Conference. Lou Williams carried the Clippers through the fourth quarter and was instrumental in their comeback victory, and by the way, a hot Lou Williams is a dangerous Lou Williams.
Sweet Lou has always had the reputation of being a deadly streak shooter that can come off the bench and pull a game out of an opponent’s grasp over the span of just a few possessions. But this season, he’s done much more; solidifying himself as the best offensive player on fringe playoff team.
Lou is averaging a career-high 22.7 points on 44 percent from the field and 36 percent from 3-point land. He’s also enjoying career-highs in assists with 5.3 per game and made free throws with 5.4 makes per contest.
Williams’ ability to score from deep, in the mid-range and in the paint with his deceptive length make him a nightmare to guard when combined with his uncanny ability of getting to the free throw line with such ease.
For the Jazz, Rookie of the Year contender Donovan Mitchell is on a hot streak of his own. ‘Spida’ has scored 20-plus points in 20 of his last 24 games, including this current streak of 10 games with 20-plus in the points column.
What’s impressive about Mitchell’s play as of late is his ability to put up good numbers and be effective while his 3-point shot isn’t falling. Dating back to February 9, Mitchell is connecting on just 31.5 percent of his 3-point attempts, but he’s managed to average more than 23 points per game over the same time period.
Utah Jazz
Mitchell’s overall play has been nothing short of spectacular, but the Jazz are going to have to squeeze every bit out of him if they hope to win a playoff series. And this bout with the Clips holds almost as much meaning.
If the Jazz fight off the Clippers, they will be a game clear of whoever is in fifth place, which gives them a modicum of breathing room in their quest to maintain home-court advantage. This game is every bit as important from the Clippers’ perspective because a loss could make clinching a playoff spot an insurmountable task.
Williams and the Clippers will come out aggressively following a character-building win over the Spurs. Jazz coach Quin Snyder has been preaching more urgency from his players, and this will be a major test for Utah as they look to add another tough win to their playoff résumé and gain confidence in the playoff race.
Let’s see if Donovan Mitchell can inspire yet another Jazz win and get them over the line in what is destined to be a hard-fought, playoff-quality battle.
Statistics courtesy of Basketball Reference.