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Official postgame quotes and notes following the Jazz's 107-105 home loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday.
Notes: The Jazz are now 98-60 all-time vs. the Clippers and 38-2 at EnergySolutions Arena …The loss snaps a 16-game home winning streak vs. the Clippers … Al Jefferson tallied 10 of his 27 points in the first quarter … Utah opened the second quarter with a 15-2 run followed by a Clippers 8-0 run … Utah outscored LA 29-24 during the second quarter … Utah's 58 first half points are a season-high … Jefferson's double-double is his eighth of the season and his four assists also ties a season-best … Earl Watson's eight assists also ties a season-high (Milwaukee 1/3) … Utah's bench outscored the Clippers 40-26.
Tyrone Corbin – Head Coach (12-8 this season)On the team's struggles at the line and rebounding"(The Clippers) beat us 50-35 on the rebounding edge, (including) a couple key ones when we were in good position. I thought they outhustled us and got the ball. And we missed 10 free throws in a two-point ballgame and it ended up costing us. For the most part we fought hard …the guys hung in there to give us a chance to win tonight."
On the team's three-point shooting woes"I think we're capable of shooting (three-pointers better), we're just not making them right now. You go through spurts during the season where you make some. We don't want to live by them, but we need to be able to make them. I thought C.J. (Miles) made a big one coming down the stretch, Paul (Millsap) made one down the stretch, so we're capable of shooting them, we just haven't had a consistent sequence, but we'll get better."
C.J. Miles – Guard (16 points, 3 rebounds)On what the Jazz can take from this game"I don't take anything from this. It's a loss. I felt like it is a game we should have won. We had a chance to win. That beginning of that third quarter really hurt us. We missed a bunch of easy shots and a lot of jump shots. And then towards the end we had chances. They made big shots, and we had a couple we didn't convert."
On Chris Paul"He's just one of those guys that can make everybody on the floor better. He gets the ball in his hands. He makes the right decisions. When you've got a guy that can make the big shot or assist somebody up, you've got Chauncey (Billups) and Mo Williams out there making shots too. He makes it tough on you and he showed tonight why."Gordon Hayward – Forward (12 points, 3 assists)On his technical foul and the physical play"I didn't even know I got one. It's my first technical, but I'm not going to back down. I was just trying to get to my spot and (Mo Williams) wouldn't let me. It was a physical game that we both wanted to win."
On the team's free throw struggles"It was a two-point game and we missed 10 free throws, so we've got to be better than that, especially in our own arena. We didn't convert on any of our technicals (either), it's just something we need to keep shooting in practice and come out and be confident (in the game)."
Derrick Favors – Forward (14 points, 3 rebounds)On the loss"We had a couple letdowns. We'll learn from our mistakes and come back tomorrow and try to win (at Golden State). The (Clippers) are tough. Chris Paul runs their offense. He makes it tough on the screens. We've just got to figure out a way to stop him."Notes: The Clippers had lost 47 of their last 50 games in Salt Lake (including when the Jazz's home arena was The Salt Palace) before tonight … L.A.'s only other victory in EnergySolutions Arena came on 1/22/03 (2-38 all-time in ESA) … Chauncey Billups appeared in his 999th career game tonight ... Billups will become the 99th player to play in 1,000 games in his next showing … Chris Paul has recorded a steal in a league high 23 straight games … DeAndre Jordan had zero blocks after coming into the game averaging 3.06 pergame (2nd in NBA) … Caron Butler was a late scratch to the starting lineup with a sore lower back … The Clippers were 5-of-22 from beyond the arc tonight (22.7%) after hitting 27-55 (49%) in their previous two contests.
Vinny Del Negro – Head Coach (13-6 this season)On the Clippers' overall play"We have good character guys and we have to improve in a lot of areas, we know that, but I like the way we battled tonight, especially on the road. Chris (Paul) controlled the game, Mo (Williams) made plays – everyone did. I thought Reggie (Evans) came in and gave us good minutes. (It was) just a good team effort. It is tough to win here, we know that, and they're playing very well, but we were able to make enough plays the second half. Our defense was better and we got more stops."
On the heavy schedule"I mean, we're tired, but we have another game tomorrow night against a very difficult opponent (Denver). We're going to have to get ready, our crowd is going to have to get behind us, we're going to have to come with energy…and just play our style of game with our tempo, get after it and make it as difficult as possible for Denver."
Blake Griffin – Forward (34 points, 14 rebounds)On what changed from the Clippers' last matchup against Utah"We just played with better intensity to start with. Last game was subpar effort wise. Today we put the effort in. We made a lot of mistakes, especially in the first half, but we charged back."
On the differences Chris Paul makes to the offense"We have guys to step up and fill that void. Last game here we didn't have Mo (Williams) as well. He's a big help for us. Not having CP (Chris Paul) hurts because he has the ball in his hands most of the game. Not having him spread us out a bit last time."Chris Paul – Guard (34 points, 11 assists)On the significance of this victory"This was a pretty good win for us. Last time we were here they pretty much embarrassed us. I was sitting over here in a suit. The fans were on us and different things like that. We really wanted this game. We didn't know the history of that 1-38 (Clippers record in EnergySolutions Arena) but it's a new team right here."
On the difficulties of playing in Salt Lake City"The crowd, the excitement. They really play fast at home. It's been like that since I've been in the league. They had 16 fast break points on us early in the game. They stick to what they do. I think we did a great job of showing a lot of patience and fighting through."
The Salt Lake Tribune
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