During halftime on Saturday, Phoenix Suns legend Charles Barkley urged the Suns to finish off the Los Angeles Clippers in order to rest for the next series.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!What Barkley may have not taken into account was the actual threat the the Clippers posed. Despite being without both of their superstar forwards, the Clippers were hanging on into the fourth quarter on Saturday.
After a back and forth affair for most of the contest, the Suns were able to take control in the fourth quarter. Ruining the Clippers hope of a comeback, Phoenix took Game 4 with a 112-100 final score.
Booker Continues to Facilitate
If for nothing else, this season has shown that Devin Booker can be a playmaker on any given night. While his scoring efforts were on display, his ability to make impressive cross-court passes may have been a brighter highlight.
Booker finished the game with 30 points, shooting 10-of-21 from the floor. He scored 11 of those points in the third quarter to help kick Phoenix into overdrive.
Yet his ability to find players such as Durant and Chris Paul were highly impressive. He had seven assists on the night, distributing the ball as a high-IQ point guard it appeared at times.
The Back and Forth of Durant and Westbrook
Two former teammates with a history of epic battles continued the tradition on Saturday. Durant continued to evolve within the Suns’ system.
While also being an effective scorer against the Clippers, Durant understands that getting other players involved is equally as important.
He finished the game with 31 points and 11 rebounds. He also had six assists in the game. As apparent as recent showings, Durant was spirited in finding open teammates to contribute to the win.
Westbrook has continued to be a one-man show on both ends of the floor for L.A. Without Paul George and now Kawhi Leonard for the foreseeable future, Westbrook has turned into the former MVP that boasted his way through defenses while also disrupting offense for the Suns.
Westbrook finished the game with a game-high 37 points, shooting 17-of-29 from the floor. He also had six rebounds and four assists.
While the win is the overall bottom line for Phoenix, finding an answer to Westbrook’s momentum remains a problem.
The Suns now hold a 3-1 lead over the Clippers as they head back to Phoenix for Game 5.
