Clippers on the brink of elimination after 96-92 loss to the Jazz

The Clippers have inched one step away from being eliminated from the Western Conference playoffs, a season that began with so much promise and talk of playing for an NBA championship when they were 14-2 now this close to being over.

They have reached this juncture because the Clippers dropped a hard-fought 96-92 game to the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night at Staples Center.

Now the Clippers trail 3-2 in the best-of-seven first-round series. They must travel back to Utah for Game 6 on Friday night and win to force a Game 7 that would be here Sunday.

The Clippers did win Game 3 in Salt Lake City, but the Jazz have the momentum now, having won the last two games.

“We have to have desperation going to Utah and winning,” Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. “We won there before. We’ve won in the playoffs there before. This team is not going to quit, I can tell you that. You could see it when they were in the locker room.”

Gordon Hayward, who couldn’t finish Game 4 because of food poisoning, led the Jazz with 27 points and eight rebounds.

Joe Johnson had 14 points, Rodney Hood 16 and George Hill 12. Hill had the final four Jazz points on four-for-four free-throw shooting in the final 10.8 seconds.

Chris Paul led the Clippers with 28 points and nine assists and J.J. Redick had his best game of the series with 26 points.

The Clippers went down 11 points early in the third after Hood drilled a three-pointer from the corner.

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Clippers center DeAndre Jordan is fouled by Jazz center Rudy Gobert as Joe Johnson helps on defense during Game 5 at Staples Center on April 25.

  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Jazz forward Gordon Hayward and Clippers guard Chris Paul both receive technical fouls after a scuffle in the fourth quarter of Game 5 at Staples Center on April 25.

  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Clippers forward Paul Pierce throws a pass into the arms of Jazz center Rudy Gobert during the third quarter of Game 5 at Staples Center on April 25.

  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Clippers center DeAndre Jordan is fouled by Jazz forward Gordon Hayward during the fourth quarter of Game 5 at Staples Center on April 25.

  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Clippers guard Chris Paul loses the ball to end the game as George Hill, left, and Joe Ingles of the Jazz apply defensive pressure in Game 5 at Staples Center.

  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Clippers center DeAndre Jordan drives to the basket after getting fouled by Jazz center Rudy Gobert during the fourth quarter of Game 5 at Staples Center.

  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Clippers guard Chris Paul is double-teamed by Joe Johnson, left, and Rudy Gobert during the fourth quarter of Game 5 at Staples Center.

  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Gordon Hayward of the Jazz drives to the basketb between Clippers guards Jamal Crawford, left, and Austin Rivers during the first quarter of Game 5 of their first-round playoff series on April 25.

  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Jazz forward Gordon Hayward grabs a rebound from Clippers guard Chris Paul during the first half of a playoff game at Staples Center on April 25.

  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Clippers forward Blake Griffin sits on the bench with a toe injury during Game 5 of a playoff series against the Utah Jazz on April 25.

  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Clippers center DeAndre Jordan battles for a rebound with several Jazz players during the second quarter of Game 5 of a first-round playoff series on April 25.

  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Jazz center Rudy Gobert dunks over Clippers big man DeAndre Jordan during the first quarter of a playoff game at Staples Center on April 25.

  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Clippers forward Luc Mbah a Moute is fouled by Jazz forward Gordon Hayward during the second quarter of a playoff game at Staples Center on April 25.

  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Clippers center DeAndre Jordan has his shot blocked by Jazz center Rudy Gobert during the first quarter of a playoff game on April 25.

  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

But the Clippers turned up their defensive pressure, going on an 11-0 run to tie the score at 69-69.

The Jazz were forced to call a timeout with 7:43 left in the quarter to regroup.

Perhaps the final turning point was when the Jazz, holding a two-point lead, made a big play on the offensive boards, Hayward tipping out a missed shot by Hill.

The ball wound up in the hands of Johnson, who could have run some time off the clock but chose to take an open three-pointer. As he shot a rainbow, the crowd groaned, knowing what Johnson has done in the series. And the fans were right to be worried, as Johnson’s shot dropped through the net for an 83-78 lead with 2:59 left.

Now it was the Clippers who had to call a timeout to regroup from another blow from the Jazz, who outrebounded them 43-34.

“I thought there were some big plays,” Rivers said. “The offensive rebound that Hayward kept alive [and] Joe Johnson makes a three. It just seemed like they made timely plays and we didn’t.”

Johnson, the man of the hour, of the series, really, took over the game again after Paul made two free throws to pull the Clippers to within 90-87.

Johnson took his time and scored on a jumper for a 92-87 Jazz lead with 19.2 seconds left.

He then pranced back down court while the Clippers were calling a timeout.

“It’s no secret. Our backs are against the wall,” Paul said. “We’re down 3-2. Fortunately, we’ve got a lot of guys in the locker room that had to do this a couple of years ago. We had to go to a tough environment, win a game and come back home and win a Game 7. It’s over now. We’ve got to do what we’ve got to do.”

Austin Rivers was back after missing the first four playoff games with a strained left hamstring, but he had just two points on two free throws. He missed all four of his field-goal attempts.

Jamal Crawford was two for eight and scored only four points in 23 minutes.

The Clippers turned to their reserves. Paul Pierce played 14 minutes and made two three-pointers. Wesley Johnson and Brandon Bass played a few minutes each.

“We’ve just got to play better,” Doc Rivers said. “Listen, they will too. I guarantee you [Jazz Coach Quin Snyder] is going to tell them they have to win Game 6, just like I will tell our team we have to win Game 6. So, it should be a fun game.”

broderick.turner@latimes.com

Follow Broderick Turner on Twitter @BA_Turner