Norman Powell scores playoff career-high 42 points in the Clippers’ 129-124 loss to the Suns
Los Angeles Clippers #24 Norman Powell (G) going up for a two-handed power dunk. Photo by Jerry Kelly/TGSportstv1.
LOS ANGELES, CA - Norman Powell scored a career-high 42 points, and Russell Westbrook scored 30 points as the Clippers came up short against the Suns 129-124 in Game 3 of the 1st round of the Western Conference at the Crypto.com Arena.
Devin Booker has been a thorn in the Clippers' side after scoring 45 points, and Kevin Durant with 28 points. Terance Mann scored 20 points off the bench for the Clippers.
The Clippers were without Kawhi Leonard (sprained right knee) as head coach for the Clippers Tyronn Lue was giving the bad news on Thursday before game time.
"It's very deflating," Lue said after the Clippers' loss on Thursday. "I think more so for Kawhi, because you have a guy who's coming off ACL, hasn't missed a rehab session, eats right, eats clean, does everything he can for his body, and works extremely hard to get to this point. Then you have something like this happen.
"So it's tough for him, for all the work that he puts in. I feel bad for him."
Russell Westbrook got the Clippers going on defense with a steal from Kevin Durant and passed the ball to Norman Powell for a layup to take a 2-0 lead. The Clippers would lead 6-0 with a driving layup by Westbrook. The Suns would take the lead 7-6 with a three-pointer by Devin Booker.
The Clippers would trail 12-10 with a layup by Ivica Zubac. Powell would tie the game 12-12 with a driving layup. Westbrook would knock down a three-pointer to give the Clippers the lead back, 15-14.
Eric Gordan would drive to the basket for a layup to give the Clippers a 20-14 lead, forcing Phoenix to call a timeout.
The Suns would regain the lead 23-22 with a layup by Durant. The Clippers tied the game 23-23 with a free throw by Powell. Marcus Morris Sr. would tie the game at the end of the first quarter 27-27 with a three-pointer from the left side of the basket.
Phoenix Suns #1 Devin Booker (SG) pulling up for a jump shot inside the paint. Photo by Jerry Kelly/TGSportstv1.
Booker would give the Suns the lead in the second quarter, 29-27, with a jump shot in the paint. Morris Sr. would pull up for a jump shot, and the Clippers trailed 35-34.
Powell would tie the game 37-37 with his three-point shot. Zubac would give the Clippers the lead back 42-40 with his two-handed dunk.
Phoenix would lead by eight points, 50-42, with back-to-back three-pointers by Chris Paul and Booker, and the Clippers called timeout with 2:25 left in the second quarter.
Powell would drive to the basket against Booker for a layup, and the Clippers trailed at halftime 54-51.
Powell led the Clippers in scoring in the first half with 22 points, Booker led the Suns in scoring with 21 points, and Durant with 14 points.
Phoenix led in the third quarter by ten points, 69-59, when Booker stole the ball from Zubac and went down the court for a layup. Westbrook would make back-to-back baskets, and the Clippers trailed by five points, 71-66.
Westbrook fouled on his layup attempt, and one of the officials called goaltending, and the Clippers awarded two points to trail 88-78.
Bones would make a three-pointer in front of his bench, and moments later, a layup and the Clippers trail at the end of the third quarter 94-85.
The Clippers trail 95-87 in the fourth quarter with a layup by Powell. Phoenix would lead 101-88 with a three-point jump shot by Damion Lee.
Mann would cap off a 13-6 run by the Clippers to trail 107-101 with a finger-roll layup. Durant knocked down a jump shot to give Phoenix a 115-106 lead with 4:11 left in the game.
The Clippers would trail 119-114 with two free throws by Bones. Powell would drive to the basket for a layup that made the score 127-122 with 14.1 seconds left in the game.
Durant would make two free throws to help secure their 129-124 win in Game 3 and will play Game 4 on Saturday at 12:30 PM, looking to go up 3-1 in the series before heading back to Phoenix.