Clippers punch early, stave off Suns runs in Game 5 win
Jun 28, 2021, 8:39 PM | Updated: 10:49 pm
Paul George of the LA Clippers goes up for a shot against the Phoenix Suns during the second half in Game Five of the Western Conference Finals at Phoenix Suns Arena on June 28, 2021 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
PHOENIX — An early zone defense by the Los Angeles Clippers got Phoenix out of whack, and despite a handful of successful runs to make it a game once again, there was no traction gained by the Suns in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals.
The Clippers pulled within 3-2 in the series with a 116-102 win at Phoenix Suns Arena on Monday, sending the matchup back to Staples Center for a Game 6 on Wednesday and putting off any of the Suns’ premature thoughts on reaching the NBA Finals for the first time since 1993.
Devin Booker scored 31 points for Phoenix, which also got 22 points and eight assists from point guard Chris Paul.
Yet the story of the night was the Clippers’ ability to respond to any Suns threat, run or flex.
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The Suns took their first and only lead, 61-60, with 8:27 to play in the third quarter. That lasted 20 whole seconds before the Clippers answered with a bucket and went on to finish the quarter by outscoring Phoenix 31-16.
Paul George contributed 20 points in the third quarter to give Los Angeles a 91-78 lead into the fourth. He closed with 41 points.
When the Suns again cut the lead down, to 98-94 with 6:58 left in the game, the Clippers went on a 14-2 spurt over the next three minutes to go ahead 112-96.
It was far from a clean start for Phoenix, and that had head coach Monty Williams’ team playing catchup over and over again.
Los Angeles built a lead that reached 15 points five minutes into the game, as coach Ty Lue threw the Suns a curveball with a zone defense bringing the home team’s scoring to a slog.
The Suns’ defense, on the other hand, was not awake to start the game.
Marcus Morris Sr. scored 13 first-quarter points, and the Clippers shot 64% to gain a 36-26 lead after 12 minutes. Morris would finish with 22.
The lead sat at 44-30 two minutes into the second quarter before the Suns awakened with a 12-0 spurt to pull within two points by the 7:18 mark of the second quarter.
But Phoenix was still down 59-52 heading into the halftime break, dodging a double-digit deficit only thanks to Booker’s buzzer three before time expired in the second quarter.
While the Clippers survived with isolation postups featuring Morris and Cousins in the first half, the second was effectively closed by Reggie Jackson (23 points) and George.
Los Angeles closed the game shooting 55% from the field.
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