"LA Clippers Ivica Zubac (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)"
The LA Clippers are facing off against the Utah Jazz today. We take a look at three things we should be looking for throughout the game.
At 4-1 for the first time since the 2017-18 season, the LA Clippers are facing off against the Utah Jazz today. We’ve got a few things you should be looking for as you watch the game!
LA Clippers Focus #1: Can They Attack the Rim?
The LA Clippers will have their job cut out for them driving into the paint against Rudy Gobert. The French big man is a defense unto himself, and the Jazz are 15.4 points per 100 possessions better on defense when he’s on the floor.
The Clippers’ new offense involves a barrage of threes, but that sort of offense is made much better by having a solid inside attack to draw defenders in. The Clippers rank 7th in the league in field goal percentage from 5 feet or less; that sort of efficiency forces defenders to help on drives, which leaves shooters wide open.
That said, the Clips rank 26th in the league in number of field goals attempted from that zone. To me, that says that the Clips are only taking those shots when they have a good look, and when they don’t, they’re kicking out to shooters.
Meanwhile, the Utah Jazz are allowing the 8th lowest field goal percentage from within 5 feet despite facing the 12th most shots from that area. Teams are challenging Rudy Gobert, and he’s been up to the challenge up to this point.
The corner three will be the key for the Clips this game. The Jazz allow the highest percentage from the left corner and the second highest percentage from the right corner. If the Clippers can force a lot of shots from those two areas, it could force the Utah defense to adjust, potentially leaving the paint more open for drives and cuts.
The battle on the inside could help decide how the game goes on offense for the Clippers. A successful inside attack will help push the Clips to a high scoring game, and quite possibly a win.