Things did not get off on the right foot for the Phoenix Suns in the 2023 NBA Playoffs. As the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference, they have home court advantage against the No. 5 seed LA Clippers. However, that advantage disappeared quickly.
The Suns were blitzed early in Game 1, going down by as many as 16 points. While they did recover in the second and third quarters, the Clippers ultimately prevailed, winning Game 1 by a score of 115-110.
Knowing what was at stake heading into Game 2, the Suns once again came out of the gate slowly, losing the first quarter 29-24. But, they bounced back in a big way the remainder of the game as they tied the series up at one game apiece following a dominant 123-109 victory.
“People talk about adjustments all the time and we make them,” Suns coach Monty Williams said. “But sometimes basketball is just being able to sit down and guard the ball, keep your man from getting to the basket and contesting the shot.”
In a seven-game series, your opponent is going to know what you want to run. Williams is correct in his assessment that sometimes it just comes down to putting the ball in the basket. Luckily for him and the Suns, Devin Booker was doing that with regularity in Game 2.
NBA NEWS & PLAYOFFS: Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns & Los Angeles Clippers Updates
Booker poured in a game-high 38 points, shooting 14-of-22 overall from the field while going 4-of-7 from 3-point range and knocking down all six of his free throw attempts. He fell just short of a double-double, handing out nine assists as well to go along with one rebound and one steal in 45 minutes of playing time.
“He’s an all-around player,” Kevin Durant said about Booker. “He can do everything at an elite level on a basketball court.”
After nearly recording a triple-double in Game 1, Durant had a solid follow-up performance as a supporting actor to Booker’s starring role. Durant scored 25 points to go along with six rebounds, five assists, one steal and two blocks in 44 minutes.
Durant credited the Clippers for their game plan on the defensive end of the court. Playing without Paul George, who is one of their best defensive players, they have to get creative in finding ways to slow down the Suns.
“We tried to blitz. We tried to fire. We did a lot of different things,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. “They played great.”
NBA NEWS & PLAYOFFS: Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns & Los Angeles Clippers Updates
The NBA Playoffs do sometimes come down to a chess match between head coaches. While Lue won the match in Game 1, Williams deserves credit for how he and the Suns handled Game 2. For the first quarter, the Clippers succeeded. But, once Phoenix adjusted, they were able to find a rhythm.
“They switched their defense up like every possession,” Durant said. “They might double, they might triple, they might go zone, they might go full court press. So they’re trying to throw us off with their coverages. I think we did a good job of (eventually) figuring it out. Just playing simple.”
Expect more of the same back-and-forth when the series transitions to Los Angeles for Games 3 and 4. Unless George can return to the lineup, the Clippers are going to once again have to get creative and find a new way to not only slow the Suns down but get their offense going.
NBA NEWS & PLAYOFFS: Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns & Los Angeles Clippers Updates
As things currently stand, Los Angeles just doesn’t have the firepower to keep up with Phoenix. Booker and Durant are a dynamic scoring duo and right now the Clippers only have Kawhi Leonard to rely on as a consistent source of points offensively.
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