Initially, there was no uphill battle for the Phoenix Suns coming into Saturday. On top of coming into the series with a 2-1 lead, Phoenix is once again going against the Los Angeles Clippers without Kawhi Leonard or Paul George.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The Suns were able to maximize on that opportunity on Thursday, beating the Clippers in the first of two games in an away setting.
Phoenix was able to improve on much of the negative tendencies from Game 3, such as rebounding.
While that was the upside, the defense from Phoenix took a turn downhill. As such, Phoenix only has a one-point lead at 48-47 to end the first half.
First Quarter Letdown
As the first quarter commenced, the Suns were clicking offensively. Yet as time continued, it was clear that the fluidity became stagnant.
To make matters more complex, Phoenix posed no threat defensively. As the Clippers began to settle into their offense, it was easy to have their way with the defensive energy that the Suns threw at them.
Still, Phoenix was able to survive in the quarter due to the offensive strides by Devin Booker. Booker had 11 points in the first quarter off 4-of-9 shooting. He also had three rebounds.
The Clippers went on a 12-2 run in the first quarter with only one minute remaining. Deandre Ayton, who’d been an effective force in the quarter had went to the bench with Chris Paul. As such, it proved to be costly.
Landry Shamet was inserted along with Bismack Biyombo. The two couldn’t match the pace and intensity that the starters imposed.
The Clippers ended the first quarter with a 21-7 run. It gave them a 30-23 lead.
Ayton Proving to be X-Factor
Aside from Durant and Booker, Ayton is showing that he’s the most essential piece to the Suns’ runs. He had five rebounds in the first quarter and provided effective screens to help open up the Suns’ offense.
He was also responsible for the bulk of the Suns’ rebounding on offense with four in the first quarter.
By the second quarter, with Phoenix trying to play catch-up due to the defense they’d presented, Ayton was critical in helping Durant provide a spark to close the half. Ayton ended the half with 11 points and seven rebounds, though he had three turnovers.
Durant made most of his points in the first quarter from the free-throw line. He went 5-for-6 from the line during the quarter. In the second quarter, he became more aggressive in looking for his shot, getting up to 14 points for the half.
Going into the second half, Phoenix will have to be more assertive on defense. On the other hand, moving the ball more even when Booker and Paul are off the floor will have to be a priority also.
