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SALT LAKE CITY - Remember when the Lakers were the ones that beat the Jazz and the Clippers lost close games, those were the days.
The Jazz could have ended the Clippers long streak about a month ago. They were up double-digits in the third quarter and it went away at home. That was the third win for the Clippers. Then the Jazz had the chance to end their perfect month twice, but just couldn't do it.
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First home loss of the season for the Jazz came at the hand of the Clippers. Jazz fans saw it and probably felt just like a Lakers game. Suddenly an influx of Clippers fan inhabited Energy Solutions and brand new throwback jerseys haunted the arena.
Once again this week the Jazz fought, believed they would win, but fell late to the Clippers. At home to a big market team with a call that looked like a conspiracy was afoot. The NBA is a star-marketed league and small-market fans will cry conspiracy at the drop of a hat.
The Clippers got the first pick and drafted Blake Griffin, then traded for Chris Paul from the then NBA-owned Hornets after a botched trade to get Paul onto the Lakers.
A third game in the month showed that the Clippers have the Jazz's number. If the torch has passed from the Lakers it might be nothing more than the ability to beat the Jazz any time and any place.
It must be frustrating for fans, but the Clippers aren't the little brother anymore and the fact that the Jazz played them really well and could be a small ray of light for the Jazz.
SB Nation for the L.A. area wrote about the Clippers streak before the Sunday night game recognizing what the Jazz were able to do. "The Clippers had to erase a 19-point second-half deficit on Friday to knock off the Jazz, 116-114, in Salt Lake City, and now the Jazz travel to Los Angeles to face the Clippers on their home floor, hoping to fare better than the other nine teams to come through Clipperland during the streak. The Clippers have defeated those nine squads by an average of 15.5 points, allowing their starters to turn into cheerleaders as they pile up rout after rout." Nine other teams went onto the Clippers home floor and lost by 15.5 per game, but the Jazz were actually within striking range in the fourth quarter. They lost by 11. The game didn't feel close, but with 3:38 left the Jazz were within 5.
ESPN's Power Rankings have the Jazz at 17, and another look at how well the Jazz played despite losing, "Only one team out there can boast that it managed to run up a double-digit lead on the Clippers during L.A.'s rep-changing run of 17 wins in a row. The Jazz have done it twice this month, actually, only for the Clips to win both games in SLC in a building that has long been a torture chamber."
If the Clippers go on to rule the Jazz, or the West, for a few years this is the year that has changed the dynamic. But if the Jazz can balance the early second quarter runs from the first two games with the fight they showed in the last they should have a great team.
Yahoo! Sports' Dan Devine wrote a recap about the game with this, "Unlike their Thursday night whitewashing of theBoston Celtics, though, the Clippers didn't ride the strong-shooting start to a comfortable, run-away-and-hide type of victory over Utah.
"As they did in the Clips' hard-fought Friday night road win, Tyrone Corbin's Jazz battled throughout, staying within hailing distance of the team with the NBA's best record and actually recapturing the lead late in the third quarter."
Putting together a full game has been the bane of the Jazz and has been a regret in years past against the Lakers in particular. The Jazz play as well as any team in spurts against great teams, but can't always carry it into games against lesser teams.
The Jazz have lost two in a row at home, with two very big and loud crowds. Lost five in a row to the Clippers. Jazz fans can still hate Los Angeles teams, but it might be time to start hating the Clippers a little more.
And the worst part is that the Jazz now need to find a way to beat two teams from L.A. to get back to the top of the West.
