Griffith Gets 21 Points as Red-Hot Jazz Blows Past Clippers, 115-100

Darrell Griffith is back and healthy again.

The Utah Jazz guard, who sat out the entire 1985-86 National Basketball Assn. season with a broken foot, came off the bench to score 21 points Saturday night as the Jazz beat the Clippers, 115-100, before 11,131 fans at the Salt Palace.

Griffith made 7 of 15 shots and all 7 of his free throws. He also had 3 rebounds and 3 assists in 30 minutes. However, Griffith, one of the league’s best three-point shooters, missed three three-point attempts.

“My timing is OK, but my shots are off,” he said. “I have the confidence but I’m rushing it a little. We’re winning, that’s what’s important.”

Utah (13-7) has won six straight games, its longest winning streak in three years.

Griffith scored eight points in the third period as the Jazz pulled away from the Clippers. Trailing, 73-72, with 4:04 left in the period, Utah blitzed the Clippers, 15-3, to lead, 87-77, early in the fourth quarter.

“Griff came in and did a good job for them, and we just ran out of gas tonight,” Clipper forward Michael Cage said. “We played the way we wanted to and were down by a few points at the half (60-56), but we just couldn’t get the spurt we needed in the second half.”

Once again, the Clippers, who were playing on consecutive nights, had just nine healthy players.

Rookie Tim Kempton started his second straight game at center because of Benoit Benjamin’s sore knee and Kurt Nimphius’ groin injury. And Darnell Valentine started at point guard because of an injury to Larry Drew.

Jazz center Mark Eaton had a big edge over Kempton with 12 rebounds, 9 points and 4 blocked shots in 35 minutes. Kempton had 6 points and 3 rebounds in 24 minutes.

The Jazz owned the boards, outrebounding the Clippers, 48-40. Forward Karl Malone led the Jazz with 13 rebounds and also scored 12 points.

“We just didn’t have enough bodies,” Coach Don Chaney said after the Clippers lost their second game in two nights. “Utah is playing well as a team, and their bench came in and got right into the flow. We stayed with them for a while, but after a while a lack of players is going to take its toll.”

Utah’s bench eventually meant the difference, outscoring the Clipper bench, 69-18. Forward Thurl Bailey had 17 points and 9 rebounds in 29 minutes, while point guard John Stockton added 14 points and passed off for 4 assists in 22 minutes. Marc Iavaroni had 9 points and 2 rebounds, and Kent Benson and Dell Curry had 4 points apiece.

Valentine, who made his first start of the season, was one of the few bright spots for the Clippers with 16 points and 12 assists in 36 minutes.

Valentine, who shot just 37.9% after he was traded from Portland to Los Angeles last season, appears to have regained his shooting touch. He made 8 of 17 shots against the Jazz.

“You miss a few shots and all of a sudden people say you can’t shoot anymore,” Valentine said.

Guard Mike Woodson and Cage, who have been carrying the Clippers, had big games again.

Woodson scored a game-high 25 points, and Cage had 20 points (16 in the first half) and 18 rebounds in 45 minutes.

“Woodson and Cage played well individually but you can’t rely on that too much,” Chaney said. “If you rely on individuals, you become stagnant.”

Clipper Notes

Forward Cedric Maxwell had 15 points for the Clippers, who return home to play Tuesday night against the Golden State Warriors at the start of a three-game home stand. . . . Center Benoit Benjamin, who didn’t make the trip because of a knee injury, will be re-examined Monday. Center Kurt Nimphius, who has sat out two games with a groin injury, is expected to return to action this week. Guard Larry Drew, who reinjured his hamstring in Friday night’s 113-112 loss to Portland, is on a day-to-day basis. Utah begins a rugged six-game East Coast trip Tuesday night at Washington.