How We Got Here

After acquiring Kevin Durant via a midseason trade with the Brooklyn Nets, the Phoenix Suns became one of the prohibitive favorites to win the title. But someone forgot to pass the memo along to the Los Angeles Clippers.

In the series opener, the Clippers jumped out to an early 12-point advantage, but the teams battled to an 81-81 tie going into the final frame. The see-saw battle continued in the final 12 minutes before the Clippers came away with a 115-110 win, stealing the home-court advantage from the Suns. 

The two notable players from Game 1 were Kawhi Leonard and Russell Westbrook. Leonard, a two-time Finals MVP, scored 38 points on 13-of-24 shooting. 

Two of his three 3-point field goals came within 40 seconds of each other in the game’s final minutes. Leonard also tallied five rebounds and five assists. 

As far as Westbrook goes? Well, he finished with nine points. He also shot an abysmal 3-for-19 from the floor and 1-for-6 from beyond the arc. So why on earth would I pick him in terms of a noteworthy performance?

It is because of the rest of his final stat line that warrants attention. Westbrook also collected 10 rebounds, handed out eight assists, recorded two steals, and three blocks, including this one against Devin Booker to help seal the win for the Clippers.

The Suns suffered their first loss with Durant in the lineup as they were 8-0 coming into this contest. The Suns knew they had to win Game 2 to avoid falling into an 0-2 hole, and they certainly did that.

Devin Booker was more than willing to lead the way in the next one. He scorched the Clippers for 38 points on an efficient 14-for-22 effort from the floor and he connected on four of his seven attempts from 3-point range. 

Kevin Durant chipped in with 25 points, six rebounds, and five assists. And Chris Paul deserves some love as well. Following a forgettable seven-point outing in Game 1, CP3 finished with a stat line of 18 points, eight assists, and four boards. 

Give the Suns’ credit for adjusting as they opted to pressure Leonard more in the second half, which resulted in the Clippers struggling a bit from an offensive standpoint. The result was a 123-109 victory for the home team, tying this series at 1-1, with the series shifting to LA for Games 3 and 4. 

Here are my predictions for this contest.