Algebra 2 is harder than Algebra 1. The levels at the top are more challenging than the bottom.
Phoenix adds another level of difficulty for the Clippers, even if they play without poor rehearsals, even if TV planners perform them at lunch. That’s how it’s built, of course.
On Sunday, the Suns scored 120 points without Chris Paul, the 36-year-old Boy Scout champion who was credited with grabbing this dusty franchise by his lapel and basically making it number 2 in the Western Conference. Either he did a great job with the joystick, at home with Jake and Cliff and Sabrina, or this is a much better and more resourceful team than we were told.
Even so, the Clippers took their punches and kept going until Terance Mann’s 3-pointer reduced the lead to two with 22 seconds remaining. Devin Booker then used a defensive glitch on an inbound game to hit another shot, and Phoenix took a 1-0 lead in the Western Conference finals by 120-114.
“We did well,” said Tyronn Lue, the Clippers coach. “We’ll be better.”
It was reminiscent of the first two defeats in the second round series against Utah, in which the top seeded Jazz controlled most of the game and the Clippers slipped again at the end of the bell.
The clippers brushed the fatigue factor aside, probably because the question was superfluous. Of course, it did matter, as evidenced by their 34.8 percent shootouts in the fourth quarter and willingness to take the first available questionable shot instead of going on defense like they did on Friday night’s comeback to the jazz to end.
Still, they took 34 points off their bench, with DeMarcus Cousins staggering 11 points over the years in a second quarter. It was more of a defensive issue as Booker pounded out of 18-foot range in the second half and ended up with 40 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists.
Cameron Payne, usually Paul’s replacement, also had nine assists and gave the Suns a jagged edge. That’s 31 assists for the Suns compared to seven turnovers. Who would have thought that Kawhi Leonard would be harder to replace in the short term than Paul?
Leonard is out with a sprained knee and no one should expect to see him on Tuesday. The Clippers could have used his defense on Sunday. They led 84-78 when Booker started his mid-range mischief, scoring the next 10 Phoenix points and really didn’t let up until Cam Johnson’s offensive rebound (which the Clippers thought was a basket failure) made a 105-95 lead.
The Clippers have seen high pick and rolls for several seasons. This is different because of the 6-foot-11 DeAndre Ayton of the Suns, the picker-and-roller. “He’s more agile, a better finisher than the greats we’ve met,” said Paul George.
When the Clippers use Ivica Zubac in these situations, they have trouble fighting the pick and roll, and if not, Ayton is much more willing than Rudy Gobert to throw the thunder on the little ones who pretend to be defending him .
While Dallas’s Luka Doncic is still the best player the Clippers have come across this postseason, he hasn’t had enough help. While Utah’s Donovan Mitchell is the most explosive long-distance scorer the Clippers or anyone else will face, Booker is more versatile and sophisticated.
And the Suns are a much better overtaking team than Dallas or Utah, especially within the track. Add the lanky presence of Mikal Bridges and Jae Crowder to disrupt George (34 points on 10v26 shooting) and the Clippers definitely know they’ve been sent to the next level.
“We gave them some comfort,” said Reggie Jackson. “We have to smother them, next game. There is a lot of film watching ahead of us. ”
What the clippers can’t do is give away basketballs. Jackson sailed in on a drive trying to pass the ball back to an indefinite white jersey. Bridges, whose versatility is only matched by his advantage, stole the pass and slammed it on the other side. That gave Phoenix a nine point lead with 2:38 to go. The Clippers had six of their nine sales in the second half and the Suns had none in the fourth quarter.
“I’ve had five ball losses and that’s five possession, a chance of 15 points that we didn’t get,” said Jackson, showing the league’s new tendency to measure everything by threes.
The Clippers seemed unfazed by this loss. George said they were used to building their game as the series progressed and finding ingenious ways to escape their captors. That hasn’t changed, but this time the door might be heavier, the ditch deeper.
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