Clippers drop preseason opener to Jazz as Russell Westbrook sits out
Kawhi Leonard (11 points) and Paul George (eight points) each play 15 first-half minutes and Bones Hyland scores a game-high 18 points in a 101-96 loss in Hawaii
Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard shoots during the first half of their preseason opener against the Utah Jazz on Sunday night at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu. Leonard had 11 points in 15 first-half minutes before sitting out the second half of a 101-96 loss. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images)
Clippers guard Bones Hyland lays the ball up in front of the Utah Jazz’s Walker Kessler during the first half of their preseason game on Sunday night in Honolulu. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images)
Clippers star Paul George shoots as Utah Jazz guard Talen Horton-Tucker defends during the first half of their preseason game on Sunday night in Honolulu. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images)
The Utah Jazz’s Lauri Markkanen tries to drive past the Clippers’ Terance Mann, left, during the first half of their preseason game on Sunday night in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)
Clippers star Paul George passes the ball as the Utah Jazz’s Walker Kessler defends during the first half of their preseason game on Sunday night in Honolulu. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images)
The Utah Jazz’s Lauri Markkanen, center, battles for the ball against the Clippers’ Terance Mann, left, during the first half of their preseason game on Sunday night in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)
Clippers center Ivica Zubac has his shot blocked by the Utah Jazz’s Walker Kessler during the first half of their preseason game on Sunday night in Honolulu. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images)
The Utah Jazz’s Keyonte George (3) squeezes by the Clippers’ Mason Plumlee, left, during the first half of their preseason game on Sunday night in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)
Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard shoots over the Utah Jazz’s Lauri Markkanen during the first half of their preseason game on Sunday night in Honolulu. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images)
The Utah Jazz’s Lauri Markkanen tries for a layup during the first half of their preseason game against the Clippers on Sunday night in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)
The Clippers’ Bones Hyland (5) shoots a layup during the first half of their preseason game against the Utah Jazz on Sunday night in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)
The Utah Jazz’s Kelly Olynyk looks to pass as Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard defends during the first half of their preseason game on Sunday night in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)
Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue, center, yells instructions from the bench during the first half of their preseason game against the Utah Jazz on Sunday night in Honolulu. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images)
Clippers guard Bones Hyland, left, steals the ball from the Utah Jazz’s Lauri Markkanen during the first half of their preseason game on Sunday night in Honolulu. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images)
The Utah Jazz’s Lauri Markkanen drives to the basket as Clippers center Ivica Zubac defends during the first half of their preseason game on Sunday night in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)
Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard handles the ball as Utah Jazz guard Collin Sexton defends during the first half of their preseason game on Sunday night in Honolulu. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images)
Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard shoots during the first half of their preseason opener against the Utah Jazz on Sunday night at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu. Leonard had 11 points in 15 first-half minutes before sitting out the second half of a 101-96 loss. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images)
The Utah Jazz’s John Collins tips out a rebound during the first half of their preseason game against the Clippers on Sunday night in Honolulu. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images)
Clippers guard Bones Hyland shoots over Utah Jazz guard Collin Sexton during the first half of their preseason game on Sunday night in Honolulu. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images)
The Utah Jazz’s Lauri Markkanen considers his options as he tries to control the ball during the first half of their preseason game against the Clippers on Sunday night in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)
Clippers guard Bones Hyland drives up the court during the first half of their preseason game against the Utah Jazz on Sunday night in Honolulu. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images)
Clippers guard Norman Powell drives to the basket as the Utah Jazz’s Walker Kessler defends during the first half of their preseason game on Sunday night in Honolulu. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images)
The Utah Jazz’s Walker Kessler shoots as the Clippers’ Kenyon Martin Jr. defends during the first half of their preseason game on Sunday night in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)
Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue, center, speaks to point guard Bones Hyland during the first half of their preseason game against the Utah Jazz on Sunday night in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)
Clippers guard Bones Hyland looks to shoot as Utah Jazz big man Lauri Markkanen defends during the first half of their preseason game on Sunday night in Honolulu. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images)
Clippers center Ivica Zubac shoots as Utah Jazz forward Kelly Olynyk defends during the first half of their preseason game on Sunday night in Honolulu. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images)
Clippers guard Bones Hyland drives to the basket as Utah Jazz guard Collin Sexton defends during the first half of their preseason game on Sunday night in Honolulu. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images)
Clippers guard Bones Hyland lays the ball up during the first half of their preseason game against the Utah Jazz on Sunday night in Honolulu. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images)
Clippers guard Bones Hyland, left, drives to the basket in front of the Utah Jazz’s Walker Kessler during the first half of their preseason game on Sunday night in Honolulu. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images)
The Utah Jazz’s Omer Yurtseven, center, battles for position with the Clippers’ Moussa Diabate, left, and Amir Coffey during the second half of their preseason game on Sunday night in Honolulu. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images)
The Clippers’ Xavier Moon shoots during the second half of their preseason game against the Utah Jazz on Sunday night in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)
Clippers guard Bones Hyland controls the ball as Utah Jazz guard Collin Sexton defends during the second half of their preseason game on Sunday night in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)
Utah Jazz guard Talen Horton-Tucker brings the ball up the court during the second half of their preseason game against the Clippers on Sunday night in Honolulu. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images)
Clippers rookie Jordan Miller attempts to save the ball from going out of bounds during the second half of their preseason game against the Utah Jazz on Sunday night in Honolulu. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images)
The Clippers’ Amir Coffey shoots as the Utah Jazz’s Omer Yurtseven defends during the second half of their preseason game on Sunday night in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)
The Utah Jazz’s Keyonte George, right, is fouled by Clippers rookie Kobe Brown during the second half of their preseason game on Sunday night in Honolulu. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images)
The Clippers’ Xavier Moon goes up for a layup in front of the Utah Jazz’s Simone Fontecchio, right, during the second half of their preseason game on Sunday night in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)
The Clippers’ Kenyon Martin Jr., right, tries to get by the Utah Jazz’s Walker Kessler during the second half of their preseason game on Sunday night in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)
Clippers guard Bones Hyland tries to make a pass as Utah Jazz guard Collin Sexton defends during the second half of their preseason game on Sunday night in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)
The Utah Jazz’s Walker Kessler goes for a rebound during the second half of their preseason game against the Clippers on Sunday night in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)
The Clippers’ Xavier Moon drives past the Utah Jazz’s Taylor Hendricks during the second half of their preseason game on Sunday night in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)
The Clippers’ Xavier Moon shoots between the Utah Jazz’s Kris Dunn, left, and Simone Fontecchio during the second half of their preseason game on Sunday night in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)
Clippers guard Bones Hyland shoots over the Utah Jazz’s Collin Sexton during the second half of their preseason game on Sunday night in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)
Clippers mascot “Chuck the Condor” waves a flag before their preseason game against the Utah Jazz on Sunday night in Honolulu. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images)
HONOLULU — Clippers stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George logged 15 first-half minutes each, while Russell Westbrook sat out the team’s preseason opener against the Utah Jazz on Sunday night in Hawaii.
Leonard had 11 points on 4-for-8 shooting to go with two rebounds, two steals and one assist, while George had eight points on 3-for-7 shooting to go with five rebounds, two assists and two steals in the Clippers’ 101-96 loss in front of a near-capacity crowd of 10,263 at the University of Hawaii’s Stan Sheriff Center.
Backup point guard Bones Hyland paced the Clippers with 18 points in 24 minutes, the only starter to play more than 20 minutes. He shot 7 for 8 from inside the arc but missed all six of his 3-point attempts and added four assists and two blocked shots.
Xavier Moon added nine points and four assists in 23 minutes, Moussa Diabate had eight points and eight rebounds in 17 minutes and Kenyon Martin Jr. had seven points and eight rebounds in 17 minutes.
Clippers coach Ty Lue had told reporters on Saturday that the team would have everyone available for the game, but some last-minute changes were made to the injury report. The team announced that veteran forward Marcus Morris would be sidelined with a left groin strain, and Lue told reporters before tip-off that Westbrook and veteran forward Nicolas Batum would be held out for rest.
With Westbrook, Batum, and Morris sidelined, the Clippers started Terance Mann alongside Leonard, George, Hyland and veteran center Ivica Zubac.
Kris Dunn made all seven of his shots and finished with 15 points and five assists to pace Utah. Former Laker Talen Horton-Tucker had 13 points and six rebounds for the Jazz, who outscored the Clippers 26-16 in the third quarter to turn a seven-point halftime deficit into a 69-66 lead.
Lauri Markkanen added 10 points and eight rebounds. Keyonte George, the 16th overall pick in this year’s draft, had 10 points and five assists, but he shot just 2 for 9 from the field (1 for 6 from 3-point range).
The teams will square off in another preseason game Tuesday night in Seattle before the Clippers return to Los Angeles after spending the first week of training camp in Hawaii.
