Jordan Clarkson was in peak form during the Utah Jazz’s playoff clincher.
On Tuesday night, the Utah Jazz (47-22) jumped to No. 5 in the Western Conference and finally secured a playoff spot via their 121-115 overtime home victory over the Memphis Grizzlies (55-24). Although Jordan Clarkson wasn’t on the floor beyond the four-minute mark of the fourth quarter, one must wonder if the Jazz would’ve prevailed without his mid-game wizardry.
Yes, Clarkson was utterly electric on several occasions and in pivotal moments to stop the Grizzlies from surging. With impressive control over his patented “Flame Thrower” and oh-so-slick handles, the reigning Sixth Man of the Year tallied 22 points, five rebounds, five assists, one steal, and only one turnover across 31 minutes off the bench.
He shot 7-for-13 from the field, 3-for-8 beyond the arc, and 5-for-6 from the charity stripe. Those are encouraging clips for Clarkson as the postseason swiftly approaches, especially when noting his career-low 42.0 field goal percentage this season.
A Utah Jazz performance worthy of another look
Jordan Clarkson’s plus/minus of +17 against the Grizzlies tied fellow Utah reserve weapon Danuel House Jr. for a game-high. And his vast array of acrobatic highlights was basketball art on full display.
From his spin moves on skates to his unbelievable finishes at the rim in traffic — after alternating hands in mid-air — Clarkson was clearly determined to provide nothing less than his A-game. With it, the 29-year-old did his part in ensuring the Jazz rebounded from their most recent seven-game stretch, which included six losses.
Just sit back and enjoy this latest Clarkson show:
https://twitter.com/utahjazz/status/1511560116578910209?s=20&t=ulj_e_-aGDhKOoENRsZVaQ
Jordan Clarkson and the Jazz now face a quick turnaround with a home game against the Oklahoma City Thunder (24-55) at 7 p.m. MT Wednesday.
Stay tuned to The J-Notes for more Utah Jazz news and views.