Clippers stun Jazz with huge second-half rally to reach Western Conference finals for first time
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LOS ANGELES — The Clippers curse has faded. The Los Angeles Clippers finished with a 131-119 win over the Utah Jazz in Game 6 on Friday, which both clinched their second-round series and ensured their first Western Conference finals berth in franchise history.
The Clippers will face the second-seeded Phoenix Suns on Sunday, merely two days after dispatching the top-ranked Jazz who had finished with the NBA's best record (52-20) while ranking in the top five on both offense and defense.
In their second game without star Kawhi Leonard because of a sprained right knee, the rest of the Clippers showed their fortunes do not rest on one of the NBA's best two-way players. Terance Mann (39 points), Paul George (28), Reggie Jackson (27) and Nicolas Batum (16) all scored in double figures. They also played a key factor in chipping away at a 72-50 halftime deficit.
The Staples Center crowd shows love as @Yg_Trece (28 PTS) and @terance_mann (39 PTS) check out, with the @LAClippers heading to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history. #ThatsGame #NBAWCF presented by AT&T start Sunday at 3:30 PM ET on ABC. pic.twitter.com/jmBlDkk36i
— NBA (@NBA) June 19, 2021
"I looked up and saw I had 34." - @terance_mann
"That was a while ago." - @Yg_Trece 😂
Paul George and Terance Mann after Mann's 39-point explosion powers the @LAClippers 25-point comeback and sends them to the #NBAWCF presented by AT&T for the first time! #ThatsGame pic.twitter.com/EPTvpMMKb6— NBA (@NBA) June 19, 2021
The Jazz still remained dangerous with Donovan Mitchell (39), Jordan Clarkson (21), Royce O'Neal (21), Bogdan Bogdanovic (14) and Rudy Gobert (12). But Utah imploded in the second half after leading by as many as 25 early in the third quarter. The Jazz held only a 94-91 fourth-quarter lead after the Clippers outscored them 41-22 in the third.
Just like the Clippers, the Jazz had become hobbled with injuries. Despite Mitchell's stellar play, he appeared hobbled with a right ankle injury that had sidelined him for Utah's final 16 regular-season games and its playoff opener. Mike Conley, who had only five points on 1-of-8 shooting, appeared in his first game of the series after missing the first five because of a right hamstring injury.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Clippers stun Jazz with rally to reach West finals for first time
