Clarkson Doesn’t Give Up As He Gives Jazz Lead Entering Final Quarter

Mar 25, 2022, 6:54 PM | Updated: 7:02 pm

Jordan Clarkson - Utah Jazz - San Antonio Spurs...

Jordan Clarkson #00 of the Utah Jazz shoots over Jack Landale #34 of the San Antonio Spurs in the first half at AT&T Center on December 26, 2021 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images)

(Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images)

BY BRIAN PREECE

KSL Sports

SALT LAKE CITY – The Jazz needed three offensive rebounds before guard Jordan Clarkson could knock down a shot to close the third quarter against the Hornets.

Charlotte hosted the Jazz at the Spectrum Center on Friday, March 25.

Rudy Gay missed a three in the final seconds of the third quarter that found the hands of Rudy Gobert who missed the put back. Gobert’s shot carromed off of the back of the iron to a crashing Clarkson who needed not one but two tries before knocking down the eight footer at the horn to give the Jazz a 78-77 lead.

no quit pic.twitter.com/65HbRPthNY

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) March 26, 2022

The Hornets led for much of the third quarter and the Jazz struggled from the field before getting hot late. The Jazz trailed 68-59 before closing the quarter on a 19-9 run.

15 Hornet offensive rebounds have led to a number of second chance opportunities and 42 points in the paint for the Hornets.

Clarkson has cooled from three in the ball game, shooting just 2-9 from three. He has still managed to tally 19 points, good for second on the team behind Donovan Mitchell’s 20.

The Jazz beat the Hornets 112-102 in mid-December but will be playing with a diminished roster in Charlotte as Bojan Bogdanovic and Danuel House Jr. remain out for tonight’s game. This is the sixth straight absence for Bogdanovic, and the fifth straight game missed due to injury by House Jr. Backup center Hassan Whiteside also missed the game due to a right foot sprain.

The Jazz are 1-2 on the current six-game road trip, the longest of the 2021-22 season for the Jazz and still have stops in Dallas, and Los Angeles to face the Clippers before returning home.