Game Of The Week: Phoenix Suns vs. Los Angeles Clippers

The Suns travel to Los Angeles with a 3-2 series lead to take on the Clippers in a Western Conference finals elimination game. The Clippers' Tyronn Lue is 10-2 in elimination games as a coach. The Clippers will be without star froward Kawhi Leonard, who is still down with a right knee sprain. The Suns enter as 1-point favorites. Both California and Arizona get a lot of sunshine. You get it. This one will be close, and ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN. 

The Suns had a chance to close out the series Monday in Phoenix, but lost 116-102. To avoid a Game 7, Phoenix will have to win this one at the Staples Center, where they are 2-14 in their last 16 games against the Clippers. Hmmmmmmmmm...Ty Lue is 10-2 in elimination games. Phoenix is 2-14 on the road against LA in their last 16. Not sure if I'd want to bet the money line in this one. But before we give up on Phoenix for tonight, remember Devin Booker. Yes, if you're a fan of basketball you'd like to see 36-year old Chris Paul finally make a Finals appearance. But Booker is the Suns' leading scorer this postseason  (27.3 PPG). He's the man who began this Western Conference Finals with a 40-point 13-rebound 11-assist game. He is the rising sun of the Phoenix Suns and has the ability to get them to the next level. 

But stop! Remember how I said anything can happen? Since that dominating Game 1 performance, Booker has ben held to 22.8 PPG while shooting 22.8% from 3-point range. Booker has committed 15 turnovers when sharing the floor with a certain...Patrick Beverly. The Clippers' Beverly is the cloud that has planted himself in front of this Phoenix Sun. His tenacious defense has slowed Booker and I don't expect that to change Wednesday night. 

Cue Chris Paul (16.3 PPG in the postseason). It's time for the 11-time All-Star, two-time Olympic gold medalist and prolific State Farm commercial guy to step up and help Booker. But Paul has not been the same since since recovering from COVID-19, shooting just 12.5% from behind the arc while averaging 18.3 points per game. To get past LA, Paul will have to find a way to up his production. Deandre Ayton (16.2 PPG/11.4 RPG in the postseason) also needs to step up. Ayton scored just 10 points in 36 minutes in Game 4. He needs to take advantage of the Ivica Zuback's injury and dominate inside. 

The Clipper's 7'0" center Zuback will miss a second straight game after suffering a sprained MCL in Game 3. LA will have to go smaller with Marcus Morris Sr. at center. Minus Zuback and Leonard, the Clippers will once again have to rely on Paul George, who is averaging 27.1 points per game this postseason. But even without Leonard, George doesn't have to do it alone, with Reggie Jackson (18.1 PPG in the postseason) stepping up his play at point guard to give the Clippers another scoring threat. 

I'm going with the Clippers in this one. The general consensus on Lue is that he approachable, a skilled communicator with even the biggest player egos, and calm, while describing the playoffs as his "happy place." This sounds pleasant for a sports therapist's bio, but frightening for Suns fans. I think Lue ups his elimination game record to 11-2 tonight, and we head back to Phoenix for a Game 7. And the winner of that one? Well like I said, anything can happen.