Durant And Booker Get rid of Brief-handed Clippers

The primary-round NBA playoff sequence between the Phoenix Suns and LA Clippers began out as a fair sequence. The Clippers shocked the Suns in Recreation 1 earlier than Phoenix righted the ship and evened the sequence in Recreation 2. Then issues went off the rails for Los Angeles.

Already with out Paul George, the Clippers noticed Kawhi Leonard sidelined after Recreation 2. That put the load of the sequence on the shoulders of Russell Westbrook and Regular Powell. The sequence moved to LA, the place the Suns took Video games 3 and 4 behind their energy pairing of Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. As Recreation 5 took the sequence again to Phoenix, the Clippers confronted elimination and wanted a miracle.

Clippers Preserve It Shut However Crash Out Of The Playoffs

With Leonard nonetheless out, the Clippers wanted profession video games from Westbrook and Powell. Nonetheless, the 2 gamers have been merely unable to run with the Suns. They mixed for 41 factors (27 for Powell, 14 for Westbrook), and 10 rebounds. Nonetheless, additionally they missed 10 consecutive pictures throughout one ice-cold taking pictures run. The Clippers bench supplied some assist, with Nicholas Batum and Mason Plumlee combining for 39 factors. Ivica Zubac additionally completed with a double-double, with 16 factors and 10 rebounds. The Clippers even led on the half, having put up 70 first-half factors. 40 of these got here within the second quarter alone. However it was merely not sufficient to decelerate the Phoenix ache prepare.

Devin Booker and Kevin Durant turned the primary duo since 2003 Kobe and Shaq to every rating 25 of their first 5 playoff video games. Additionally they turned simply the second duo to attain 25 in each sport of a best-of-seven since 1968 Elgin Baylor and Jerry West. Booker led all scorers with a 47-point double-double. In the meantime, Durant added one other 31 factors of his personal. Their greatest second was a 38-point third quarter to assist erase a 9-point halftime deficit. The Suns scored 50 whole factors within the quarter. The 136-130 closing rating was largely a results of the Suns’ bench struggling to place up significant factors. Nonetheless, it didn’t matter all that a lot as Phoenix sealed the win. They may now face #1 seed Denver within the Convention Semifinals. Denver accomplished their very own 4-1 dismantling of the Timberwolves on Tuesday evening.

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