The Los Angeles Clippers beat the Phoenix Suns 119-114 on Sunday to secure a fifth-place finish in the Western Conference playoffs of NBA and a first-round rematch against the Suns themselves. The Suns’ next iteration, with seven players including four starters, will be a far cry from what the Clippers struggled with on Sunday.
That fact didn’t go unnoticed by the Clippers after a surprisingly tough win. “I don’t know, I’m not talking about this game,” said Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue. (Read Also: NBA Playoff Stats 2023: Let’s ensure the Playoff, Lakers and Golden State await the next win)
“It’s over, we’re in the playoffs, and that’s what I want to focus on. We didn’t play our best game today. we know that, but we’re putting that behind us and concentrating on the whole situation.”
Kawhi Leonard scored 12 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter to eventually overtake the stalwart Sun’s Clippers, who were without Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, Deandre Ayton, and Chris Paul. Norman Powell led Los Angeles with 29 points and Russell Westbrook added 25.
The teams meet again for Race 1 in Phoenix on Sunday. The Clippers trailed by 10 points late in the third quarter and eventually narrowed their lead to 86-82 in the fourth quarter.
The frustration on the Los Angeles bench was intense: Mason Plumlee and Bones Hyland fought briefly between the quarterfinals.
But the Clippers eventually recovered. Leonard completed a competitive routine by age 19.4 seconds to victory. “We have to improve,” said Leonard. “Because in the last two games, the teams have left the stars and we are struggling.
The Suns put on a surprisingly competitive performance. Saben Lee had a career-high 25 points and finished the game with nine assists. “We played by Sun standards in terms of strength and determination,” said Suns coach Monty Williams.
The Los Angeles Clippers cut the Suns’ lead to 53-48 after the first half when Eric Gordon hit a 3-pointer. Phoenix led at halftime despite only shooting 36% from the field. Jock Landale led the Suns with 13 points while Westbrook had 13 points for the Clippers.
