Dante Exum plays big in Jazz loss to Warriors

Utah were knocked out of the NBA playoffs by Golden State despite Dante Exum playing his best game of the post-season.

Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant scores on Utah Jazz’s Gordon Hayward and Dante Exum in Salt Lake City yesterday

Utah have been knocked out of the NBA playoffs by a ruthless Golden State despite a high-flying Dante Exum playing his best game of the post-season and Joe Ingles solid in what could be his final game for the Jazz.

The Warriors crushed the Jazz 121-95 in Salt Lake City yesterday to sweep the series 4-0 and book a place in the Western Conference finals. Golden State, undefeated in the playoffs and beating teams by an average of 15 points, are on a mission to avenge last year’s championship series loss to the Cleveland.

“We got blitzed,” Jazz coach Quin Snyder said.

Exum, the 21-year-old from Melbourne, has played scant minutes in the playoffs but when he appeared in the second quarter he exploded for nine points and led the Jazz on a 14-0 run. “The young fella Dante Exum came in and had a heck of a good game for those guys,” Warriors interim coach Mike Brown said. “He got them back into it with the energy he brought and toughness. He wasn’t afraid of the moment.”

Exum finished with 15 points from 31 minutes on the court.

It has been a rollercoaster year for Exum who sat out last season after tearing the ACL in his left knee while playing for the Australian team in Europe.

Exum started seven of the Jazz’s last eight regular-season games but then spent most of the first round series against the Los Angeles Clippers on the bench.

“Any time players have the individual and personal challenges of playing and not playing, being injured, coming back, it is always gratifying as a coach when you see those guys raise their level,” Snyder said. “That’s what you saw Dante do tonight.”

Adelaide forward Ingles has become a starter and key piece for the Jazz and against the Warriors on yesterday filled up his stat sheet with seven points, four rebounds, four steals and three assists.

Ingles becomes a restricted free agent in the off-season and the Jazz may struggle to pay him the money rival teams will offer.

Ingles earned a relatively small $US2.87m this season, but his improved three-point shooting and playmaking skills could put him in line for a contract similar to the four-year $US38.4m deal Boomers teammate Matthew Dellavedova signed last year with the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Warriors were led by Curry’s 30 points and Draymond Green’s 17 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists. The Warriors will play the winner of the Spurs-Rockets series which stands at 2-2 with game five in San Antonio today.

AAP