Devin Booker had 40 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists to record the first triple-double of his career, and the Phoenix Suns rallied from Chris Paul’s absence to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 120-114 on Sunday night. first game of the Western Conference final.
Paul was absent from the game due to the health and safety protocols implemented by COVID-19. Clippers star Kawhi Leonard missed his third straight game due to a right knee injury.
Tied 93-93 early in the fourth quarter, the Suns had a 12-2 run and led 105-95 on Cam Johnson’s layup with 8:08 to play. The Clippers cut a 10-point deficit in the final two minutes to 116-114 when Terance Mann hit a 3-pointer with 22 seconds remaining.
Booker scored on a layup to the next possession to seal Phoenix’s eighth straight win, safely reaching the basket on broken defensive cover.
Game 2 is scheduled for Tuesday in Phoenix.
Booker was productive and efficient in one of the best games of his career. He made 15 of his 29 field goal attempts, breaking a defense he had to play just 36 hours after ending the series against the Utah Jazz on Friday night.
The third quarter featured a stellar duel between Booker and the Clippers’ Paul George, who finished with 34 points. Booker had 18 points in the fourth, and George had 15, including a 93-93 3-pointer heading into the fourth quarter.
The Suns led 76-68 midway through the third, but George scored eight straight points, including six on two long 3-pointers, to even the situation. It was the start of a 16-2 run that helped Los Angeles take an 84-78 lead.
Booker and the Suns responded quickly. Booker scored 12 points in the final 3:09 minutes of the third for Phoenix to return to contention.
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