Clippers’ preseason woes continue in 102-89 loss to Utah Jazz

Streamers fell from the rafters as the Clippers and Utah Jazz trudged off the court after a game in which neither a title was won nor anyone’s reputation was made.

It’s the preseason, not a time for celebrations or vital takeaways about the meaningful games to come.

That’s certainly a good thing for the Clippers, whose dreary exhibition season continued Monday night during a 102-89 loss to the Jazz at EnergySolutions Arena in Salt Lake City.

Blake Griffin scored 31 points on efficient 14-for-22 shooting, about the only Clippers highlight on a night their epic defensive struggles continued. The team has yielded more than 100 points in losing all three exhibition games.

Clippers Coach Doc Rivers identified interior defense as an area of emphasis for his players, but they have needed improvement everywhere inside 30 feet.

They couldn’t stop Utah from the perimeter, the Jazz making 14 of 30 three-pointers one night after the Portland Trail Blazers scorched the Clippers by making 17 of 25 shots from beyond the arc. And they certainly had nothing to counter Utah reserve center Rudy Gobert, who somehow amassed 11 points and 20 rebounds.

The Jazz, winners of only 25 games last season, appeared rejuvenated all the way around, with second-year guard Trey Burke scoring 16 points and center Derrick Favors collecting 15 points and 11 rebounds.

If it seemed as if the Clippers weren’t quite themselves, their lineup might have had something to do with it. Rivers rested guard Jamal Crawford and forward Matt Barnes on the second night of a back to back. He also did not play starters Griffin, Chris Paul or DeAndre Jordan in the fourth quarter.

Griffin accounted for almost all the Clippers’ offense in the second quarter, scoring the team’s first basket of the quarter on a layup with 6:26 left.

He went on to score 15 of the Clippers’ 17 points in the quarter, the balance coming on a dunk by Jordan.

There was no clarity in the battle for the Clippers’ starting small forward spot.

Chris Douglas-Roberts became the third player to start at the position in the preseason but failed to distinguish himself with four points, four rebounds and two turnovers in 30 minutes. Backup Reggie Bullock went scoreless and third-stringer Joe Ingles scored three points.

Barnes might have been the most impressive Clippers small forward by not playing.

It was probably not the way Rivers would have preferred to spend his 53rd birthday, watching another largely listless effort by a team expected to contend for the Western Conference title.

The Clippers are more than two weeks away from the games that count. Right now, that’s one of the few things they have going for them.

ben.bolch@latimes.com

Twitter: @latbbolch

Bolch reported from Los Angeles.