Jazz take top spot in NBA playoffs

Hardy has emerged as the frontrunner and should be closing in on a five-year deal shortly. Photo: AP Photo/Rick Bowmer.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Rudy Gobert wasn’t about to stop his Utah teammates from celebrating after securing the No. 1 spot for the NBA playoffs. He just wants the Jazz to keep focus on the bigger picture.

A year after blowing a 3-1 lead and getting bounced in the first round of the playoffs, the Jazz are headed back to the postseason — and they’re going in with the league’s best record.

“Going through what we went through last year, I learned to enjoy every moment,” Gobert said following Utah’s 121-99 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Sunday night. “That doesn’t mean you don’t prepare for what’s coming. Just enjoy the moment.”

Jordan Clarkson scored 33 points and Gobert added 13 points and 16 rebounds for the Jazz.

Utah (52-20) won its final two to edge Western Conference-rival Phoenix for the top spot. It’s the first time in franchise history that the Jazz have finished with sole possession of the best record in the NBA.

“As much as the accomplishment, for me you appreciate this group of men and appreciate the opportunity to coach them,” coach Quin Snyder said. “That feeling about our team, I want all of them, all of us, to enjoy this moment because I feel like if we do that, appreciate the regular season, I think that transitions us to the mindset we need to have to try to play well in the playoffs.”

Mike Conley had 11 points, nine assists, and six rebounds in his second game back after missing two weeks because of a right hamstring injury. Bojan Bogdanovic had 18 points.

Now comes the waiting game for Snyder’s team. Utah awaits one of the surviving teams from the play-in games that begin Tuesday and end Friday.

“In the Western Conference there’s not going to be anybody you want to play,” Conley said. “Everybody’s capable. We’ll just have to see how it goes.”

“They’ve been one of the best teams, if not the best team, for most of the season,” Kings coach Luke Walton said. “I thought our guys played hard. We just got outmatched.”

A loss to Sacramento in the final regular-season game would have dropped Utah into a tie with Phoenix, and the Suns held the tiebreaker after sweeping the three-game series with the Jazz.

Instead, the Jazz shook off a slow start and thumped the Kings for the second time in three weeks.

MITCHELL COMING BACK?

The week off will give Donovan Mitchell extra time to heal his sprained right ankle. Mitchell hasn’t played since April 16 but is expected back in time for the playoffs.

“He’s the guy, he knows he’s the guy, and he knows he’s going to take us as far as we want to go,” Conley said. “He’s getting there, he’s feeling good. We’re going to do whatever we can to make it easy on him during the week.”

TIP-INS

Jazz: Utah had twice previously tied for the best record in 1998 and in the lockout-shortened season in 1999. … The Jazz finished with a franchise-record 1,205 3-pointers. … Utah set franchise records for scoring (154) and margin of victory (49) when the two teams played on April 28 at Golden 1 Center.

Kings: Hield went 1 of 7 on 3-pointers will head into next season four shy of Peja Stojakovic’s franchise career record of 1,070. … De’Aaron Fox (health and safety protocols), Marvin Bagley (leg), Harrison Barnees (left adductor), Richaun Holmes (knee), and Moe Harkess (unknown) did not play.

UP NEXT

Jazz: Utah will get a week of rest before facing the No. 8 seed in the playoffs. The play-in rounds wrap up Friday.

Kings: Sacramento heads into the offseason facing questions about Walton’s future with the team and a roster that underachieved for much of the season. Holmes is the only player of significance who will be a free agent.