Clippers Slide Past Jazz 111-106 in Game 3 Despite Gordon Hayward's 40 Points

Riding a stellar second half, the Los Angeles Clippers took a 2-1 first-round series lead over the Utah Jazz with a 111-106 win in Game 3 on Friday night at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City.      

After trailing by as many as 14 points in the third quarter, the Clippers outscored the Jazz 62-48 in the second half to earn their second consecutive win in their Western Conference series.

Chris Paul was otherworldly in the victory with 24 of his 34 points in the second half, along with 10 assists and seven rebounds. 

Utah had a chance to tie the game with 3.3 seconds to play, but Gordon Hayward's pass to Joe Johnson sailed past everyone out of bounds to give the Clippers possession. And Paul sealed the win with two free throws. 

Even though the Clippers' taking the 2-1 series lead is the key story, L.A. fans were probably thinking more about the health of forward Blake Griffin. He left late in the second quarter with a bruised toe and was ruled out for the game, and Andy Larsen of KSL.com later reported X-rays were negative.

Griffin suffered the injury while driving to the basket. He was able to pull up and make a contested layup but limped off the court in obvious pain. 

The internet's reaction to Griffin's departure was one of concern:

After Griffin left the game, Paul was there to remind the world that he's still one of the best point guards on the planet. 

He had back-to-back possessions late in the fourth quarter in which he drilled a three-pointer to put the Clippers ahead 97-96 and a beautiful behind-the-back layup to extend the lead to three. 

Social media was appropriately dazzled:

Hayward finally looked like himself in the series, despite the loss. After shooting a combined 12-of-33 in the first two games, Utah's All-Star forward finished with 40 points on 13-of-21 shooting. This was the performance Hayward needed and what the Jazz have been expecting from him. 

George Hill, who scored 26, was the only other Utah starter with more than nine points.

The Clippers lost their leading scorer from the regular season, trailed by double digits on the road and let the Jazz shoot 52.2 percent and make 14 three-pointers. But they had the night they needed. 

L.A. could have been deflated after Johnson's game-winning buzzer-beater in Game 1. Instead, it's responded with two hard-fought wins and has momentum back in its court heading into Game 4 on Sunday. 

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