Clarkson, Sexton lead surging Jazz past Clippers, 110-102
Jordan Clarkson scored 23 points, reserve Collin Sexton added 22 and the Utah Jazz beat the Los Angeles Clippers 110-102 on Sunday night.
The Jazz rallied after blowing a 10-point lead in the first half and trailing by six in the third quarter.
Paul George scored 34 points, the third time in four games that he topped 30, but Los Angeles had its three-game winning streak snapped. George missed shots down the stretch after the Jazz erased the Clippers' four-point lead.
Marcus Morris added 18 points for the Clippers. Kawhi Leonard missed his eighth game while dealing with knee stiffness.
Down by four in the fourth, the Jazz scored nine in a row, capped by Malik Beasley's 3-pointer to take the lead for good. It was part of a 14-2 run that extended Utah's lead to 106-98. Sexton had seven points in the spurt.
The Clippers pulled within four on a dunk and inside basket by Ivica Zubac before Sexton dunked with 54 seconds left.
Sexton fed Lauri Markkanen for an inside basket in the closing seconds. Markkanen finished with 18 points and nine rebounds.
Clarkson's 3-pointer early in the fourth tied it at 87-all.
The Clippers scored the first seven points of the third to pull into a 63-all tie. They closed within two five times before John Wall's steal and basket forced an 81-all tie.
Wall followed with a dunk that put the Clippers ahead for the first time since the first quarter.
The Jazz took an 84-83 led on Clarkson's 3-pointer before Wall scored again, sending the Clippers into the fourth leading by one point.
George's 3 drew the Clippers within one before the Jazz closed on a 13-7 run to go into halftime leading 63-56. Markkanen scored 11 of Utah's points in the spurt when he made all five of his free-throw attempts.
TIP-INS
Jazz: Markkanen didn't miss a shot in the first half. He hit all four of his field goal attempts and made his only 3-point try in addition to all five free-throw attempts for 14 points. ... Jarrod Vanderbilt sat out with right adductor soreness.
Clippers: Robert Covington returned after missing four games while in the league's health and safety protocols. ... Luke Kennard sat out with chest discomfort. He will undergo further testing Monday.
UP NEXT
Jazz: Host the Lakers on Monday to conclude a back-to-back. Utah is 4-0 at home.
Clippers: Host Cleveland on Monday in the second game of a back-to-back.
