Norman Powell scored a season-high 41 points and came up big in overtime while lifting the Los Angeles Clippers to a 120-116 victory over the Utah Jazz on Thursday night in Salt Lake City.
Powell scored nine of the Clippers’ 12 OT points as Los Angeles entered the All-Star break on a three-game winning streak.
James Harden added 32 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists, three steals and two blocks in the come-from-behind win. The Clippers overcame a 20-point deficit and outscored Utah 22-13 in the fourth quarter.
Jazz rookie Kyle Filipowski scored a career-high 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Lauri Markkanen also logged 20 points, John Collins added 17 and rookie Isaiah Collier contributed 16 points, eight assists and four steals but committed seven turnovers.
Both teams played for the second consecutive night.
Ben Simmons made his Clippers debut, days after the Brooklyn Nets bought out his contract and he signed with Los Angeles. He totaled 12 points, seven rebounds, six assists and three steals in a reserve role.
Powell put the Clippers up 115-110 in overtime by sinking two free throws, but the Jazz quickly pulled back within one after a Collier bucket and a steal and slam by Svi Mykhailiuk.
Powell answered with two baskets, giving the Clippers a five-point lead with under a minute to go.
Los Angeles opened the fourth quarter on a 14-4 run, and Powell’s tip-in gave the Clippers a 100-99 lead with 6:28 to go. Simmons ignited the charge with the first four points.
Harden then pushed the lead to 103-100 with a 3-pointer.
Markkanen scored two consecutive baskets for a 106-105 Jazz lead.
Harden tied it with a free throw and rebounded his own missed foul shot, leading to Simmons’ go-ahead layup.
Collier knotted the score at 108-108 by hitting two free throws with 45.3 seconds left.
Neither team could convert on late 3-point attempts, setting up the extra session.
The Jazz hit 9 of 14 shots from beyond the arc in the first quarter to go ahead 33-26.
Utah built its lead to 50-30 before Harden scored seven in a row as the Clippers erased much of the deficit to go into the break down 60-54.
–Field Level Media
