Jazz steal home court advantage with gutsy win after losing Rudy Gobert

This game should have never been in reach for the Utah Jazz. Within the first 20 seconds of the game, they lost their centerpiece and defensive anchor in Rudy Gobert. They watched their star, unable to put weight on his leg, be carried off the court after suffering a knee injury. The Jazz could have folded. They could have quit. Instead, they stole Game 1 on the road against the Clippers.

The Jazz fought and battled with the Clippers all game long and led by four points heading in the fourth quarter. They then went up went up 79-72 with 9:56 left in the 4th quarter causing the Clippers to call a timeout as the Jazz looked like they were about to pull away. Chris Paul went on a scoring fury, scoring 10 straight points for the Clippers but the Jazz held off every single the Clippers tried to make.

It was just that kind of night for the Jazz. George Hill hit this three-pointer with 0.5 seconds left in the shot clock late in the fourth because, why not?

Joe Johnson was spectacular for the Jazz all night, giving the Jazz 21 points off the bench including the buzzer-beater to finish off the Clippers.

Without Rudy Gobert, the Jazz came together for a team win in the truest sense. Johnson led the way with 21 points, Gordon Hayward finished with 19, George Hill with 16, and Derrick Favors with 15. While the Jazz wait for word on Gobert, they have plenty to be excited about after that huge win.