Undermanned Suns battle from behind against Clippers in road loss
Dec 13, 2021, 11:47 PM
In Friday’s win over the Boston Celtics, the Phoenix Suns benefitted from playing their way at a high level against a team that was all out of sorts. It did not matter they were without Devin Booker (left hamstring strain) and Deandre Ayton (non-COVID illness).
On Monday, however, Phoenix faced a Los Angeles Clippers team that is rolling. And another blow came on the injury report when center Jalen Smith (non-COVID illness) was also ruled out, leaving the Suns with only one healthy big man and 10 total players available.
It was a much more difficult obstacle for the Suns, on the road as well. And even though their energy and engagement were there, they still understandably stumbled in a 111-95 loss.
“We still had a chance,” head coach Monday Williams said. “And that’s what I was encouraged by, the fight of our guys tonight. Having so many guys out, it kind of caught up with us tonight. We battled, we just couldn’t make a shot for segments of the game.”
While the Clippers were also without Paul George (right elbow contusion) and Kawhi Leonard (torn ACL), they entered Monday having won four of their last five. Luke Kennard and Marcus Morris Sr. found a rhythm over that stretch, both averaging over 15 points per game in their last five contests.
Those two, along with guards Reggie Jackson and Terance Mann, were able to consistently create good looks for themselves and knock them down. They combined for only 10 assists but all scored at least 16 points, with Morris the high man at 24 points on 10-of-16 shooting. The absence of Booker’s and Ayton’s defense was definitely felt there.
The Suns (20-5) began the game shooting 1-of-13 from the floor, unable to find an opening tempo through the Clippers’ (16-12) stingy defense. That put Phoenix behind early, and it would chase the game the rest of the way through an admirable fight.
“We competed. Guys played hard. We had 10 guys tonight,” point guard Chris Paul said. “Them guys, we fought. Didn’t make shots but we competed and that’s all you can ask for.”
Phoenix shot 37.5% from the field and 7-for-29 (24.1%) at three-point range. Williams made a good point that the amount of missed shots (60) put his defense on its back feet more often than usual.
A six-point advantage for Los Angeles through one quarter would be the closest the Suns got.
As the Clippers showed in the Western Conference Finals, they have a unique ability as a team to answer opposing makes.
Once a Kennard layup put Los Angeles up 11 early in the second quarter, six of the Suns’ next seven scoring possessions resulted in the Clippers countering the next time down with their own.
That kept the Suns at bay and down 12 at the half, and a similar result came in the third quarter. A 7-0 Suns run midway through the third quarter got them back to within 10 and the deficit stayed there entering the final frame.
The Clippers’ advantage held in that range until they finally mustered up the last blow it felt like was coming for half the game, a 7-0 spurt to lead by 19 with seven minutes remaining.
The Suns’ offense didn’t have the juice to make that up, even if the effort was there.
Phoenix’s point guards attempted to self-stabilize its group by hunting individual offense and it didn’t produce that great of results. Chris Paul (4-of-14) and Cam Payne (5-of-15) both struggled to shoot the ball. And more of the sets being run around Landry Shamet didn’t get him going, either, as he checked in at a 3-for-11 mark.
Cam Johnson was the one consistent aggressor whose energy translated to positive play. He scored a team-high 17 points off the bench with six rebounds, an assist and three steals.
Williams said there was a timeout where the team encouraged Mikal Bridges that he had to start to be aggressive, and he responded with some nice moments, registering 16 points and two steals.
The center rotation consisted of just JaVale McGee, who had 13 points and 13 rebounds in 25 minutes. Jae Crowder (six points) and Ish Wainright (eight) played some small-ball 5 when McGee wasn’t out there.
Phoenix flies to Portland after the loss to take on the Trail Blazers Tuesday night, an 8 p.m. tip-off you can hear on 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station.
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