The Utah Jazz lost in blowout fashion against the Los Angeles Clippers at Intuit Dome.

Within the first five minutes, the Jazz trailed by double digits. By the end of the first quarter, the Clippers’ lead swelled to over 20 points. James Harden scored 24 points in the first quarter alone, eclipsing the entire offensive production of the Jazz by four points himself.

Here are a few takeaways on Utah’s rough night:

Utah’s bigs struggle against strength

Ivica Zubac, the Clippers’ 27 year-old center, dominated tonight. He posted a gaudy stat line: 19 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, two blocks, and one assist on 8-11 shooting from the field. For those with an astute memory, you may recall that Zubac did something similar against the Jazz in Utah’s last meeting against the Clippers on November 17th. In that game, Zubac scored 22 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, dominating Utah largely through moving bodies in the paint.

For Filiposki, losing this battle again makes sense. He’s a rookie matching up against an NBA player who’s got 7 years of NBA strengthening, conditioning, and dieting under his belt. For Kessler, one of his largest criticisms during his first two seasons in the league was his lack of strength. While he made considerable gains on that front this offseason, he continues to struggle against bigs who hold a strength advantage.

Defending the three-point line

After allowing 22 threes agains the Phoenix Suns earlier this week, the Jazz gave up 21 threes to the Clippers tonight. That’s no good.

On one hand, some of those makes were just a result of shooting variance. James Harden, who ended the night with 41 points, shot 7-11 from three tonight. He hit multiple threes over reasonable contests. Norman Powell, who finished 29 points, followed suit by shooting 5-7 from range. In the NBA that happens. But the Jazz give up the 3rd most three-point makes and attempts in the NBA, a recipe for losing a lot of games (note: both the Washington Wizards and New Orleans Pelicans land in the bottom-five as well).

In part, this is a personnel problem. For as much as the Jazz continue to search for a primary offensive weapon, the question of a primary defensive weapon remains. While Taylor Hendricks looked to fill that role, that potential answer will need at least a few more years to develop.

How to enjoy watching a blowout loss

Even the biggest basketball fans would admit that games decided within the first quarter get boring. Tonight on PlayBack TV, we talked a bit about what to look for in games like these. While there weren’t many bright spots for the Jazz, we noticed the test Zubac provided for Utah’s youth and how Brice Sensabaugh’s added value as a passer and rebounder (he had five of each tonight). As the season grows, I suspect that these types of games will only become more common. I recommend finding small parts of each player’s game to watch closely and look for growth or regression. That may bring some more entertainment.

Oh, or if you have the chance, join us on PlayBack TV. The livestreams are a fun way to watch with other Jazz fans (shameless plug, I know.)

SALT LAKE CITY — The most recent school shooting in Wisconsin has highlighted the concerns shared by teachers in Salt Lake City just over a week ago when they protested in a bid for more security.

During that protest outside West High School on Dec. 6, the teachers unfurled a banner that said “We protect us because no one else will.” Following the event, the teachers claimed they constantly face issues like fights, along with a student being shot in the parking lot last month.

The Salt Lake City school board recently voted not to renew a contract that staffed weapon detectors at the school, which the teachers said were a huge help for security.

Local Utah law enforcement officials said days like today, following yet another school shooting, renew a passion for school safety.

“Whenever we see something like this, it definitely makes us a little bit more aware, more heightened level of security, and so we’re making sure we’re communicating, making sure, things are in place where they should be in place and that we’re monitoring different things to perhaps prevent it from ever happening here for people concerned,” explained Sgt. Jeff Kendrick with the Davis County Sheriff’s Office.

Kendrick suggests students and parents use the SafeUT app to report a crisis and prevent school violence in the future.

The Utah Jazz are back on the road Monday night, as they’ll be facing off against the Los Angeles Clippers for what will be the second time this season.

The first time the Jazz faced off against this team, it ended in the hands of the Clippers, as they took down Utah on November 17th, 105-116. Now, the Jazz will be back in Los Angeles to get their season series even at 1-1.

Utah has been on the wrong end of things for their previous two outings, losing to both the Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns in their last two, and are projected underdogs on Monday as they’ve been for the entire season. However, a win on Monday for the Jazz would be a great stepping stone into their extensive five-game road trip that looms this week and next.

As for the Clippers, they could also make great use of this win. They currently stand on a three-game losing streak, and will be on a three-game road trip following their matchup with the Jazz. Being the current 9th-place team in the West and clawing for their shot in the playoffs, a win on Monday would be a great step forward for the coming week, as well as their end goal this season.

With that, here’s everything you need to know ahead of the Jazz’s second meeting against the Clippers this season.

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