Cougars

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Clippers got way too comfortable against the NBA-leading Phoenix Suns and it nearly cost them.
Leading by 39 points in the third quarter, the Clippers survived an offensive onslaught by Phoenix's bench in the fourth and hung on for a 113-109 victory on Wednesday night.
Norman Powell scored 24 points after being out two months and Paul George added 19 points in three quarters to go over 15,000 in his career for the Clippers.
“You can never relax in the NBA,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. “The players are too good, the coaches are too good, and as soon as you let your guard down things like this can happen.”
With nothing at stake, Phoenix rested All-Star guards Devin Booker and Chris Paul and fellow starters Deandre Ayton and Jae Crowder on the second night of a back-to-back. The Suns had already set a franchise record for wins in a season with 63 by eliminating the Lakers from playoff contention Tuesday.
The Clippers beat up the Suns for three quarters. But Phoenix's reserves put together a 48-point fourth quarter and then ran out of time.
“It’s a great lesson for our team and any kid watching, you just play it out,” Suns coach Monty Williams said. “We just stayed with it and had that Suns grit.”
Cameron Payne came back in and hit a 3-pointer that drew the Suns within four with 10 seconds left. Amir Coffey got fouled and made both free throws to preserve the win. 
Ish Wainwright scored a career-high 20 points to lead Phoenix. Aaron Holiday added 16 points and Bismack Biyombo had 14 points and 12 rebounds. The only starter in double figures was Payne with 13 points. The Suns' bench outscored the Clippers' reserves 66-58.
“When you have games like this, you find out who that guy is that you may be able to throw into a big game,” Williams said. “You build that confidence in games like this.”
George and Powell were playing together for the first time this season, but they quickly got in sync to help the Clippers win their third in a row. They are locked into the eighth spot for the Western Conference play-in tournament next week.
George has played in five of six games since returning from a torn UCL. Powell is back after missing 21 games with a broken foot. He played in just three games with the team before getting hurt shortly after he was acquired in a trade from Portland.
“Playing with PG still didn’t seem real to me,” Powell said. “I looked up to him growing up. Early on in my career he gave me some words of encouragement that stuck with me.”
George scored 10 of his team’s first 14 points to start the game. Powell came in for the first time late in the first quarter and hit a jumper.
They started the second quarter together. Powell hit a 3-pointer and a jumper back-to-back, then George found him for another 3-pointer as part of a 22-0 run. 
“We just tried to play off one another,” George said. “The biggest thing for me was playing off the ball and letting Norm get comfortable. He’s a big-time playmaker and scorer off the ball.”
The Suns’ first points didn’t come until 6:49, when former Clipper Landry Shamet hit a 3-pointer.
The Clippers outscored the Suns 34-9 in the second to lead 60-31 going into halftime.
Ivica Zubac had 13 points and 11 rebounds for the Clippers.
TIP-INS
Suns: Their 31 points in the first half were the fewest allowed by the Clippers in a half this season. ... JaVale McGee led a rollicking, expletive-filled huddle in the tunnel before the Suns took the court to warm up. ... The Jenner sisters, Kylie and Kendall, who dates Booker, sat opposite the team bench.
Clippers: Split the season series, 2-2. ... A moment of silence was held for Gene Shue, a two-time NBA coach of the year who had two separate stints guiding the Clippers. He died earlier this week at age 90. ... Hall of Famer and Clippers executive Jerry West posed for a photo at halftime with Grammy nominee Saweetie, who sported bright pink hair. ... Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen sat courtside.
15K for PG
George reflected on becoming the 16th active player with at least 15,000 career points.
“I'm just a kid who came literally from the desert,” he said, referring to his high desert hometown of Palmdale north of Los Angeles. “Every time I touch the floor, especially because of the injuries, I’m always grateful for the opportunity.”
He added, “Hopefully, I crack the 20,000 milestone and the 30,000 milestone.”
UP NEXT
Suns: Visit Utah on Friday.
Clippers: Host Sacramento on Saturday in the first game of a back-to-back.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

The Clippers survived an offensive onslaught by Phoenix's bench in the fourth and hung on for a 113-109 victory

Powell returns, Clippers beat Suns for 3rd straight win

The following is a press release from the NBA:
CLEVELAND&nbsp;&ndash; Fifteen international players from 12 countries, including six international All-Stars and a record-tying four international All-Star Game starters, will participate in NBA All-Star 2022 in Cleveland from Friday, Feb. 18 &ndash; Sunday, Feb. 20.&nbsp; NBA All-Star 2022 will reach fans in 215 countries and territories in a record 60 languages on their televisions, computers, mobile phones and tablets.
Below are international highlights of this year&rsquo;s global celebration of basketball:
INTERNATIONAL PLAYERS
<ul>
<li>The 71st NBA All-Star Game, which tips off on Sunday, Feb. 20 at 8 p.m. ET on TNT, will feature six international All-Stars and a record-tying four international starters.&nbsp; Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks; Greece; ties to Nigeria) and Nikola Jokić (Denver Nuggets; Serbia) will start for Team LeBron, while Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers; Cameroon) and Andrew Wiggins (Golden State Warriors; Canada) will start for Team Durant.&nbsp; They are joined by Team LeBron reserve Luka Dončić (Dallas Mavericks; Slovenia) and Team Durant reserve Rudy Gobert (Utah Jazz; France).</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Clorox Rising Stars, which will take place on Friday, Feb. 18 at 9 p.m. ET on TNT, will feature a new format of four seven-player teams competing in a three-game mini-tournament, with each game played to a Final Target Score.&nbsp; The pool of 28 players includes six international players: Precious Achiuwa (Toronto Raptors; Nigeria), Chris Duarte (Indiana Pacers; Dominican Republic), Josh Giddey (Oklahoma City Thunder; Australia), Alperen Şeng&uuml;n (Houston Rockets; Turkey), Franz Wagner (Orlando Magic; Germany) and Dyson Daniels (NBA G League Ignite; Australia).</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>With their participation in Clorox Rising Stars, Giddey and Daniels, who were teammates at NBA Global Academy in Canberra, Australia, from 2019-2020, become the first NBA Academy alumni to participate in NBA All-Star.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>The Taco Bell&reg; Skills Challenge, which is part of State Farm All-Star Saturday night on Feb. 19 at 8 p.m. ET on TNT, will also feature a new format in which three teams of three players will participate in a four-round competition that tests shooting, passing and dribbling ability.&nbsp; One of the teams is composed of three Antetokounmpo brothers: Giannis and Thanasis Antetokounmpo (Bucks; Greece; ties to Nigeria) and Alex Antetokounmpo (NBA G League&rsquo;s Raptors 905; Greece; ties to Nigeria).</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Eight players competing at NBA All-Star 2022 are from or have ties to Africa: Achiuwa, the three Antetokounmpo brothers, Desmond Bane (Memphis Grizzlies; ties to Nigeria), Ayo Dosunmu (Chicago Bulls; ties to Nigeria), Embiid and Isaac Okoro (Cleveland Cavaliers; ties to Nigeria).</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>New this year, the NBA G League&rsquo;s top young players, including G League Ignite&rsquo;s Daniels and Fanbo Zeng (China), will be on display in the inaugural NBA G League Next Gem Game, which will feature G League Ignite taking on the Cleveland Charge on Sunday, Feb. 20 at 2 p.m. ET on NBA TV, NBA TV International, and in China on Tencent and MIGU.</li>
</ul>
GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION
<ul>
<li>A total of 72 international broadcast partners will televise NBA All-Star 2022.&nbsp; Six international television and radio networks &ndash; from France, Greece, Latin America, Mongolia, Poland and Spain &ndash; will conduct live onsite commentary from Cleveland, and three television networks &ndash; from India, Netherlands and Norway &ndash; will broadcast NBA All-Star remotely for the first time.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Fans outside North America will also be able to watch Clorox Rising Stars, State Farm All-Star Saturday Night and the NBA All-Star Game live and on-demand through NBA League Pass via <a href="https://insights.nba.com/PoliteMail/default.aspx?page=zoU9Gcb3YESIAP7onvjQYw&amp;ref_id=r2DLozbAkESbJ37egIWA4A" target="_blank" rel="noopener">watch.NBA.com</a> and <a href="https://insights.nba.com/PoliteMail/default.aspx?page=BGLjtJbUSEKZ3TxszIgasA&amp;ref_id=r2DLozbAkESbJ37egIWA4A" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the NBA App</a>.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Fans around the world will be able to vote for the MVPs of the Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, Clorox Rising Stars and the NBA All-Star Game via NBA.com, the NBA App and Twitter.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>On Sunday, Feb. 20 from 11 a.m. &ndash; 2 p.m. ET, fans around the world can watch a livestream of All-Star Game players and coaches conducting media availabilities at <a href="https://insights.nba.com/PoliteMail/default.aspx?page=3HYWzdXImUWzU3gUE-9O-g&amp;ref_id=r2DLozbAkESbJ37egIWA4A" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mediaavail.nba.com</a>.</li>
</ul>
CELEBRITIES &amp; INFLUENCERS
<ul>
<li>The Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, which tips off on Friday, Feb. 18 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN, will feature Puerto Rican rapper and singer Anuel AA; Indian American singer/songwriter Anjali Ranadiv&eacute;; Bollywood superstar Ranveer Singh; 2020 Olympic high jump gold medalist Gianmarco Tamberi from Italy; and Cleveland Cavaliers Legend and Brazil native Anderson Varej&atilde;o.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Singh, who in September was named the NBA Brand Ambassador for India, will be one of more than two dozen influencers attending NBA All-Star 2022, where he will post behind-the-scenes social media content and have the opportunity to meet NBA players and legends.&nbsp; Singh will also become the second Bollywood star to play in the Celebrity Game.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Singh headlines a group of international influencers from Argentina, France, India, Japan, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Senegal, South Africa, Spain and the UK who will experience NBA All-Star 2022 in person, receiving exclusive access to the weekend&rsquo;s events and creating All-Star-themed content for fans in their home markets.</li>
</ul>
ALL-STAR CELEBRATIONS ABROAD
In addition to the events in Cleveland, fans around the world will be able to share in the excitement of NBA All-Star 2022 through a variety of international activations and programming:
<ul>
<li>In Canada, the &ldquo;NBA 75th Shop,&rdquo; a digital retail experience that pays tribute to the players and moments that have shaped the growth of basketball across the country, features a <a href="https://insights.nba.com/PoliteMail/default.aspx?page=2icFrxLx0UmWFb58V9B7Vw&amp;ref_id=r2DLozbAkESbJ37egIWA4A" target="_blank" rel="noopener">figurine depicting eight-time All-Star and Raptors Legend Vince Carter</a> at the 2000 Slam Dunk contest and an &ldquo;<a href="https://insights.nba.com/PoliteMail/default.aspx?page=Ss8TfIZrIUqK4tlSdhYWOQ&amp;ref_id=r2DLozbAkESbJ37egIWA4A">ice block</a>&rdquo; commemorating the 2016 Slam Dunk contest in Toronto, the first NBA All-Star held outside the U.S.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>On Feb. 18, Mexican artist Alee Baes is launching exclusive All-Star-themed merchandise and giving away 16 special-edition Wilson basketballs in collaboration with the NBA at the league&rsquo;s official retail location in Mexico, NBA Tienda in Polanco.&nbsp; The collection will also be available at <a href="https://insights.nba.com/PoliteMail/default.aspx?page=ibGQ_qNzG0KhKkx1nZQUsA&amp;ref_id=r2DLozbAkESbJ37egIWA4A" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nbatienda.com</a>, the league&rsquo;s official online destination in the country.&nbsp; In addition, Cavaliers Legend Anderson Varej&atilde;o is filming a number of content pieces while on site in Cleveland that will be shared on the NBA&rsquo;s social media platforms in his native Brazil.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>From Feb. 7-21, Cosmote Sport, the league&rsquo;s broadcast partner in Greece, is running a 24/7 NBA pop-up channel featuring live NBA All-Star events, original programming, classic games, highlights and more.&nbsp; Eleven Sport and beIN SPORTS, the league&rsquo;s broadcast partners in Belgium and France, respectively, are hosting competitions in which winners will attend All-Star 2022.&nbsp; In addition, the NBA Fan Clubs in Greece and Spain are organizing NBA All-Star sweepstakes and quizzes featuring merchandise giveaways and special prizes.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>The league&rsquo;s social media platforms in Australia, Japan and the Philippines will produce All-Star-themed programming to promote the weekend&rsquo;s events.&nbsp; The Dime, a recap show on the NBA&rsquo;s Facebook page in Australia, will feature Australian Rising Stars participants Josh Giddey and Dyson Daniels.&nbsp; NBA Zoom-In, a show on the NBA&rsquo;s TikTok channel in Japan hosted by Japanese influencer Rikuto, will preview and recap highlights from the weekend.&nbsp; Republika Huddle, the league&rsquo;s social media talk show in the Philippines, will revisit previous editions of NBA All-Star and provide predictions for this year&rsquo;s marquee events.</li>
</ul>

Fifteen international players, including six All-Stars and a record-tying four All-Star Game starters, will represent in Cleveland.

15 international players from 12 countries will be at All-Star Weekend

Paul George had just wrapped up his brilliant night, scoring 41 points to keep the Los Angeles Clippers&rsquo; season alive. He shared some hugs and fist bumps with teammates and assistant coaches before he finally got to head coach Tyronn Lue.
There were some words of encouragement. They were also apparently too hot for TV.
&ldquo;I can&rsquo;t share that,&rdquo; George said with a grin, recalling the conversation. &ldquo;Bleep this and bleep that.&rdquo;
George set his playoff-career-high in scoring, Reggie Jackson added 23 and the feisty Clippers staved off elimination by beating the Phoenix Suns 116-102 on Monday night in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
An ELECTRIFYING performance from Paul George lifts the <a href="https://twitter.com/LAClippers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LAClippers</a> to a Game 5 victory! ⚡️ 41 PTS 15-20 FGM 13 REB 6 AST 3 STL 68.6 FPTS ( Playoff high) <a href="https://t.co/VNu8oSewJ9">pic.twitter.com/VNu8oSewJ9</a>
&mdash; NBA Fantasy (@NBAFantasy) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBAFantasy/status/1409718616564641793?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 29, 2021</a></blockquote>

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The Clippers have been counted out multiple times in this postseason. That continues to be a mistake.
&ldquo;The group of guys we&rsquo;ve got, I love those guys. They compete every single night no matter who is on the floor,&rdquo; Lue said. &ldquo;The work&rsquo;s not done, but we came into a hostile environment and got a gritty win.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve got to do it again two more times.&rdquo;
The series moves back to LA with the Suns holding a 3-2 advantage. Game 6 is Wednesday.
The short-handed Clippers were playing without two-time NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard and center Ivica Zubac, who missed his first game of the season with an MCL sprain in his right knee. They&rsquo;ve already fought through two grueling series wins in these playoffs, coming back from 2-0 deficits to beat both the Dallas Mavericks and Utah Jazz.
Now they&rsquo;re trying to claw back against the Suns. Game 5 was a good start.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Reggie Jackson is COOKING late ♨️ <a href="https://t.co/XHPZGUOsZH">pic.twitter.com/XHPZGUOsZH</a>
&mdash; NBA TV (@NBATV) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBATV/status/1409714356376330245?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 29, 2021</a></blockquote>

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George was fantastic after a tough shooting night in Game 4, pouring in 20 points in the third quarter. He finished 15 of 20 from the field, including 3 of 6 from 3-point range and added 13 rebounds and six assists.
&ldquo;If they were going to finish this series, they were going to have to work for it,&rdquo; George said. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s just the mentality we had. We weren&rsquo;t going to back down. We weren&rsquo;t going to throw in the towel. The fact of the matter is they&rsquo;ve got to beat us.&rdquo;
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Marcus Morris Sr., who played for Phoenix earlier in his career, added 22 points on 9-of-16 shooting.
The Suns trailed by as many as 15 points during the first half but took their first advantage in the third when Chris Paul knocked down a 16-foot jumper for a 62-61 lead. The Clippers responded with the next 10 points and then started sinking 3-pointers. George hit back-to-back 3s and Patrick Beverley added one to push LA ahead 82-70, gesturing to the Suns crowd as he jogged back down the court.
It was the common theme of the night: Every time the Suns got some momentum, the Clippers were there to squash it in a hurry.
The Clippers took a 91-78 lead into the fourth. The Suns pulled within 98-94 with 6:58 left but LA responded with a 10-2 run and pulled away for the win.
Devin Booker led the Suns with 31 points. Paul &mdash; who is trying to go to the NBA Finals for the first time in his 16-year career &mdash; added 22 points and eight assists. Deandre Ayton had 10 points and 11 rebounds.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve got to be better,&rdquo; Paul said. &rdquo;They came out and they were the aggressors. They looked like us in Game 4. They hit us, they were too comfortable and we&rsquo;ve got to be better.&rdquo;
The Clippers played inspired basketball in the first half, jumping out to an 20-5 lead by halfway through the first quarter. Jackson threw down a huge one-handed jam during the run and LA hit nine of its first 11 shots.
&ldquo;It is just unacceptable the way we started the game,&rdquo; Suns coach Monty Williams said. &ldquo;It was a big hole for us. It is pretty obvious that we can&rsquo;t play with the show-up mentality. We showed up in the first quarter and they played with desperation.&rdquo;
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Morris was 6 of 7 in the first and Jackson made a layup at the buzzer to give the Clippers a 36-26 advantage going into the second.
The Suns cut the advantage to 44-42 midway through the second but the Clippers rallied again to push ahead by 10. Booker hit a 3-pointer at the halftime buzzer to cut the Clippers&rsquo; advantage 59-52.
Morris had 20 points in the first half.
The Suns are trying to make their first NBA Finals since 1993. The Clippers have never been this far in the postseason.
TIP-INS
Clippers: DeMarcus Cousins had 10 points in just six minutes in the first half. He made 5 of 9 shots, putting a shot on the rim once every 40 seconds on average. ... Leonard missed his seventh straight game. ... This was the Clippers&rsquo; sixth double-digit win when trailing in a series this postseason. That is the most such wins in a single postseason in NBA history.
Suns: F Abdel Nader played in his second straight game after missing several weeks with a knee injury. He scored two points. ... Phoenix announced a sellout crowd of 16,664.
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MISSING ZUBAC
The 7-foot Zubac has been an ironman for Los Angeles and this was the first game he&rsquo;s missed for two years. Coach Tyronn Lue admitted the Clippers were down during morning shootaround after hearing that Zubac wouldn&rsquo;t play.
Zubac moved into a more prominent role in these Western Conference finals, averaging 12.8 points and 11 rebounds in the first four games. He&rsquo;s also been important on defense as a rim protector.
The Clippers went small to replace Zubac in the starting lineup, going with the 6-foot-5 Terance Mann.

Paul George scored 41 points, Reggie Jackson added 23 and the resilient Clippers staved off elimination by beating the Suns.

Paul George, gritty Clippers stave off elimination, beat Suns 116-102

The Los Angeles Clippers don&rsquo;t have an injured Kawhi Leonard on the court. He&rsquo;s everywhere else, though.
In the halftime locker room, texting, on the phone, watching from above the floor, all the while analyzing and suggesting ways for his team to get past the Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference Finals.
Leonard watched with his family from a Staples Center suite Thursday night, when Paul George had 27 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists in a game-high 43 minutes of <a href="https://apnews.com/article/ca-state-wire-az-state-wire-los-angeles-clippers-phoenix-suns-nba-dd4645c79a3a35cc8163def7c8f2f332">the Clippers' 106-92 victory. </a> It cut their series deficit to 2-1.
Leonard met up with his teammates at halftime, when they trailed by two.
&ldquo;He was just telling me rotations, what to look for, what&rsquo;s open, what&rsquo;s available," George said. &ldquo;It gave me a good game plan going into the second half for what to look for."
Clearly, it worked. The Clippers outscored the Suns 60-42 in the second half.
<a href="https://apnews.com/article/basketball-los-angeles-clippers-utah-jazz-kawhi-leonard-lifestyle-9273a6e6a213fff2e364f37b1d96b679">Leonard hasn't played </a> since Game 4 of the second round against Utah because of a right knee sprain. The All-Star joined the coaches' huddle in Game 6, when the Clippers closed out the Jazz and advanced to the conference finals for the first time in franchise history.
Coach Tyronn Lue said Leonard won't play in Game 4 on Saturday night. The Suns are 1-point favorites, according to <a href="https://sportsbook.fanduel.com/sports">FanDuel Sportsbook.</a>
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s very much a part of this team without being able to play right now," George said. &ldquo;It's just great to have his mind and his presence part of this game, part of this team."
Leonard's low-key approach is in direct contrast to the fiery Patrick Beverley (Devin Booker's nose got broken when they head-butted in Game 2). Beverley went up to each of his teammates at halftime Thursday, telling them what they needed to do. Marcus Morris, Rajon Rondo and little-used DeMarcus Cousins are the other veterans who have their say, too.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s an amazing locker room we have,&rdquo; guard Reggie Jackson said. &ldquo;Everybody tried to collectively lead from their position, from their role, and everybody has pure intent. It doesn&rsquo;t matter who is on who, who is saying what. We know where it comes from, from the heart and at the end of the day we want to win.&rdquo;
ANKLE PAYNE
The Suns took it as an encouraging sign when guard Cameron Payne got some shots up during a light workout Friday.
He left Thursday's game after just four minutes because of a left ankle injury.
"We think he's getting better," coach Monty Williams said. "He's walking around fine. We hope he can get back on the floor tomorrow."
Payne proved a solid fill-in for Chris Paul during the first two games of the series, highlighted by 29 points and nine assists in Game 2.
<a href="https://apnews.com/article/az-state-wire-basketball-los-angeles-clippers-phoenix-suns-nba-39cc6462f350d7c883fdd3d83f7dbaf8">Paul returned Thursday </a> after being released from the league's health and safety protocols. Payne's availability is crucial in order to spell Paul after the veteran guard played 38 minutes, which Williams said was too much.
Paul got fouled near the Clippers' bench in the second quarter. He repeatedly shook his right hand and stretched his fingers out.
Williams said Paul's hand was &ldquo;a little sore," however he seemed to be OK.
BIG ZU
Ivica Zubac is back in a big way for the Clippers.
After playing sparingly in the last two games against Utah in the West semifinals, the 7-footer has logged over 30 minutes in two of the first three games against Phoenix.
&ldquo;There's no egos on this team,&rdquo; Zubac said Friday. &ldquo;We're all in here for a great purpose and that&rsquo;s to win a championship."
He had 15 points and a career playoff-high 16 rebounds in Thursday's win.
&ldquo;His presence was great on guards, drives," George said. &ldquo;He just made it tough to finish around the rim."
Zubac altered shots and got in the way of Deandre Ayton, who shot 9 of 13 for 18 points. It was a bit of payback after Zubac failed to defend Jae Crowder's pinpoint alley-oop lob that led to <a href="https://apnews.com/article/phoenix-suns-los-angeles-clippers-nba-sports-b8c7d8c88193e1bd8d0c4aa2d932cef8">Ayton's game-winning dunk </a> with 0.9 seconds left in Game 2.
Zubac is enjoying the variety of big men he's faced so far: Dallas' Boban Marjanovic, Utah's Rudy Gobert, and now Ayton.
&ldquo;He's more of a rim runner, an offensive threat," Zubac said. &ldquo;He can post-up, he can face-up, he can give you a lot of different problems on the offensive end."
Zubac made 9 of 10 free throws in Game 3. Ten of his 16 rebounds were on the defensive glass, to go with all 15 of George's rebounds, helping the Clippers to 41-32 edge in that category.

The Clippers don’t have an injured Kawhi Leonard on the court. He’s everywhere else, though.

Kawhi Leonard is nowhere on court, everywhere else for Clippers

LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; This time, Paul George didn&rsquo;t flinch. Playoff P showed up and dragged the Los Angeles Clippers back from the brink.
George scored 27 points and the Clippers pulled away in a dominant third quarter, beating newly returned Chris Paul and the Phoenix Suns 106-92 on Thursday night in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals.
&ldquo;We continue to chip away, try to find ways we can be better and impose our will on opponents,&rdquo; Clippers guard Reggie Jackson said. &ldquo;We showed a lot of heart, a lot of fight.&rdquo;
The Clippers cut their series deficit to 2-1, ending the Suns&rsquo; franchise-record playoff winning streak at nine games.
&ldquo;Our guys keep grinding, keep fighting,&rdquo; Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. &ldquo;We never give in.&rdquo;
Kawhi Leonard remained out with a right knee sprain, leaving George to carry the load again. After missing two crucial free throws in a one-point loss in Game 2, George had 15 rebounds and eight assists and played a game-high 43 minutes. He made 6 of 7 free throws.
&ldquo;PG did a great job of just moving on and having a great game for us,&rdquo; Lue said.
The Suns got Paul back after he missed the first two games while being sidelined since June 16 because of the NBA&rsquo;s health and safety protocols. The former Clipper, who was booed heartily during intros, had 15 points and 12 assists, but was 5 of 19 from the field.
Cameron Payne, who so ably filled in for Paul in the first two games, went down with a left ankle injury after playing four minutes and didn&rsquo;t return.
&ldquo;We missed him a lot,&rdquo; Suns guard Devin Booker said.
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Suns coach Monty Williams said he played Paul too much in his first game back.
&ldquo;Probably got tired,&rdquo; Williams said, &ldquo;but it hurt us when Cam couldn&rsquo;t come back so I left Chris out there for a longer stretch and that&rsquo;s on me.&rdquo;
Deandre Ayton led the Suns with 18 points.
Jackson added 23 points for the Clippers, and Ivica Zubac had 15 points and tied his career playoff high with 16 rebounds.
Game 4 is Saturday night at Staples Center.
After Phoenix won the first two games by a combined seven points, the teams played a close first half. George pumped up the Clippers going into the locker room with a thunderous one-handed dunk.
&ldquo;That probably killed their momentum a little bit,&rdquo; Jackson said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re fortunate to have a guy like that that can do a little bit of everything.&rdquo;
Los Angeles quickly went to work in the second half in front of 17,222 raucous, Thunder Stix-pounding fans.
They took control with the biggest run of the game, a 21-3 spurt that left them leading 71-56 in the third. Terance Mann got it going with six straight points and Jackson scored four in a row before George scored inside. Zubac dunked off George&rsquo;s pass and made a pair of free throws. The Suns were limited to a 3-pointer by Paul.
&ldquo;They just brought it,&rdquo; Williams said. &ldquo;We just didn&rsquo;t match their force.&rdquo;
Booker picked up his third and fourth fouls in a 42-second span during the Clippers&rsquo; run. Booker &mdash; wearing a clear mask to protect his broken nose after he and Patrick Beverley banged heads in Game 2 &mdash; was 5 of 21 from the field, making only one of seven 3-point tries, and finished with 15 points.
Jae Crowder, who assisted on Deandre Ayton&rsquo;s winning dunk on Tuesday, fouled out with 4:51 remaining. He had nine points, six rebounds and six assists.
The Suns were just 35 of 90 from the floor, despite getting decent looks.
&ldquo;We weren&rsquo;t sound at all,&rdquo; Williams said. &ldquo;They played good defense, but we didn&rsquo;t run our offense the way that we have been running for most of the playoffs.&rdquo;
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George capped the third by banking in a 3-pointer from just inside midcourt, and it beat the buzzer, stunning the fans and sending the Clippers into the fourth leading 80-69. He nearly bobbled the ball along the right sideline, with Booker and Cam Johnson pressuring, before getting the shot off.
Luke Kennard opened the fourth with a 3 from the right corner, getting fouled and making the free throw. Marcus Morris hit a three before George got fouled. He confidently made both, keeping the Clippers ahead 89-71.
Booker&rsquo;s basket drew the Suns within six, but Jackson answered with five straight points and George made a pair of free throws.
BOOKER&rsquo;S NOSE
Booker spoke to retired player Richard Hamilton on how to play wearing a mask. Hamilton broke his nose twice during the 2003-04 season and wore a clear plastic mask. It became his trademark and he wore it the rest of his career.
&ldquo;Nose feels fine,&rdquo; Booker said, confirming it was broken in three places. He had it reset and received several shots of a painkiller.
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INJURED MORRIS
Marcus Morris was close to being scratched after dealing with a sore knee. Instead, he came off the bench. He hit two big 3-pointers in the second half and finished with eight points.
&ldquo;He still did a great job,&rdquo; said Mann, who started in Morris&rsquo; place. &ldquo;Hit some shots, played great defense, in there battling for every rebound.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Suns: Fell to 10-3 in the playoffs, losing for the first time since May 27 against the Lakers at Staples Center in Game 3 of the first round. ... Booker and Beverley were called for double technicals in the third. ... Paul and Booker each missed their first six shots of the game and were both 2 of 10 with seven points each in the first half.
Clippers: Zubac is the first Clipper with a double-double in the first half of a postseason game since DeAndre Jordan on April 30, 2017, against Utah. ... Longtime fan Billy Crystal sat courtside.

Paul George scored 27 points, and the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Phoenix Suns in Game 3 of the WCF, 106-92.

Paul George leads Clippers over Suns 106-92 in Game 3

It's not simply the Los Angeles Clippers vs. the Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference Finals. The Clippers are fighting their own fraught playoff history.
It's a rutted road of blown leads, blowout losses, and early dismissals. The burden has lingered far longer than any of the current players have been on the roster.
Merely by reaching the conference finals for the first time, the Clippers have altered their playoff history. That they did it by overcoming 0-2 deficits to win series against Dallas and Utah is even more compelling.
And because they play in Hollywood, why not up the drama? They're back home trailing the Suns 0-2.
Game 3 is Thursday night at Staples Center. The Clippers are a 1-point favorite, according to <a href="https://sportsbook.fanduel.com/sports/navigation/830.1/10107.3">FanDuel Sportsbook.</a>
Five-time All-Star Kawhi Leonard remains out with a right knee injury, the Clippers tweeted Wednesday. He was hurt in Game 4 against Utah. Leonard stayed back in LA to rehab while the team lost in Phoenix.
Chris Paul is listed as probable in the league's injury report to play for the Suns after being sidelined for the first two games of the series while in the league's health and safety protocols.
&ldquo;It's going to be that much tougher," Paul George said about Paul's impending return.
Paul would like nothing better than to win on his former team's home court, where he, along with Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan, rehabilitated the Clippers' reputation from woebegone franchise to exciting contender. Paul was MVP of the 2013 All-Star Game. His alley-oop passes to Griffin and Jordan for dunks established the team's Lob City moniker.
The trio was part of an epic collapse in 2015. The Clippers led James Harden and the Houston Rockets 3-1 in the second round, but they dropped the final three games to lose 4-3.
After six seasons, in which the Clippers never got past the second round, Paul exited. Griffin and Jordan followed him out of LA.
The playoff shortcomings didn't end there.
With George and Leonard in their first season together, the Clippers led Denver 3-1 in the bubble last year. They appeared headed toward their first appearance in the conference finals.
Instead, they blew a 15-point lead to lose Game 5, blew a 19-point lead in losing Game 6 and collapsed in the fourth quarter to lose Game 7. Coach Doc Rivers ended up getting fired.
In his first year guiding the Clippers, coach Tyronn Lue has made a series of tweaks in each round. His latest involved starting 7-foot Ivica Zubac and Patrick Beverley in Game 2, in place of the small-ball combo of Terence Mann and Nicolas Batum.
&ldquo;We called T-Lue Bill Belichick, all the adjustments he makes,&rdquo; guard Reggie Jackson said. &ldquo;He's definitely going to find a way, and we're going to find a way, also, like we always do.&rdquo;
BOOGIE'S T
Clippers center DeMarcus Cousins was issued a postgame technical by the league on Wednesday for his &ldquo;actions at the conclusion of the game" in Phoenix.
Cousins exchanged words with Suns guard Cameron Payne before pushing him. Cousins then bumped into Devin Booker and shoved him. Both incidents occurred in the chaos after Deandre Ayton's game-winning dunk &mdash; dubbed <a href="https://www.nba.com/watch/video/phantom-cam-deandre-aytons-game-winning-slam-and-walkoff?plsrc=nba&amp;collection=must-see-highlights"> &ldquo;The Valley Oop" </a> in Phoenix &mdash; with 0.7 seconds to go, when the Suns were celebrating and the Clippers were asking officials to review the play.
BOOKER'S NOSE
Booker might be wearing a mask for Game 3 after he and Beverley bumped heads hard enough to draw blood. Booker's nose needed a few stitches and he had his right nostril plugged after the game. Beverley sported a Band-Aid on his forehead.
PLAYOFF P
George has been streaky in the playoffs during his career, first with the Indiana Pacers and then the Oklahoma City Thunder. With Leonard sidelined, the spotlight and burden is squarely on him.
He's averaging 40.7 minutes this postseason, similar to his averages with the Pacers (40.8) in 2018-19 and the Thunder (43.0) in 2016-17.
"Whenever he's taking a lot of jump shots and not really attacking, you can tell he's tired,&rdquo; Lue said after Game 2, when George led the team with 26 points. But he missed two huge free throws with 0.9 seconds after making big plays down the stretch to give LA the lead.
George insisted, &ldquo;I got stronger as the game went on."
The 31-year-old forward hasn't been this deep in the playoffs since 2013-14, when the Pacers lost to LeBron James and the Miami in the Eastern Conference finals for the second year in a row.
After being the centerpiece in Indiana, George moved to Oklahoma City and partnered with Russell Westbrook for two seasons. The Thunder lost in the first round both times.
George had surgery to repair tears in both shoulders in two years ago. He missed training camp and the first 11 games of his initial season in LA. In the playoff bubble, he averaged 20.2 points. It was his lowest output since 2012-13, when he averaged 19.2 with the Pacers.
George has scored 20 or more points in all 15 playoff games so far.
&ldquo;If I have to do more, I&rsquo;ll do that,&rdquo; he said.
FEELING THE PAYNE
The Clippers felt the Payne. Cameron Payne, that is.
He <a href="https://www.nba.com/watch/video/20210622nn?plsrc=nba&amp;collection=top-trending-videos">had a career night </a> subbing for Paul, scoring 29 points in just his second career postseason start. Payne's offense proved crucial, with Booker going 5 of 16 from the floor following his 40-point, triple-double in Game 1. Payne had nine assists, two steals and no turnovers in 37 minutes. He had just one turnover in Game 1.
&ldquo;Cameron Payne has done an unbelievable job of filling in for CP,&rdquo; George said.
Payne has traveled a start-and-stop path since leaving Murray State two years early for the draft.
He played his first few seasons with Oklahoma City and Chicago. He was with Cleveland on a pair of 10-day contracts and then got released by Toronto in October 2019. Payne briefly turned up playing in China before landing in the NBA's G-League early in 2020.
Last June, he signed with the Suns and had his highest scoring and rebounding averages while coming off the bench in the bubble.
___
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It's not simply the Clippers vs. the Suns in the Western Conference Finals. The Clippers are fighting their own fraught playoff history.

Clippers traveling a rutted playoff road, again

Deandre Ayton jammed an alley-oop pass from Jae Crowder with 0.7 seconds left, giving the Phoenix Suns a thrilling 104-103 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday night in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
VALLEY OOP! 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐘𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐒. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RallyTheValley?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RallyTheValley</a> <a href="https://t.co/W7TWWX9Ld4">pic.twitter.com/W7TWWX9Ld4</a>
&mdash; Phoenix Suns (@Suns) <a href="https://twitter.com/Suns/status/1407560131462656002?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2021</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
CROWDER TO AYTON FOR THE WIN!!! WHAT A FINISH TO GAME 2 🤯 <a href="https://t.co/HBWgm1R8id">pic.twitter.com/HBWgm1R8id</a>
&mdash; NBA Fantasy (@NBAFantasy) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBAFantasy/status/1407549964151099392?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2021</a></blockquote>

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The Suns were down one with 0.9 seconds left when Crowder lofted a high pass on an out-of-bounds play on the baseline. A soaring Ayton came down the lane and stuffed it through the net over L.A.'s Ivica Zubac as the crowd roared in disbelief at Phoenix Suns Arena.
The referees spent about a minute reviewing the play before ruling the basket was good. The Clippers couldn't get a shot off in the final 0.7 seconds.
The Suns now have a 2-0 lead in the series heading to Los Angeles for Game 3 on Thursday night. The Clippers will be fighting from a 2-0 deficit for the third time in these playoffs after rallying to beat the Mavericks and Jazz in the first two rounds.
The Crowder-to-Ayton connection negated a Clippers rally that was led by Paul George, who had 26 points.
George made a layup with 31 seconds left to give the Clippers a 101-100 lead for their first advantage since early in the third quarter. Suns guard Devin Booker responded with a jumper of his own with 27 seconds left.
George calmly took the ball on the next possession and drilled a long two-pointer for a 103-102 lead.
But there was a lot more action left.
George missed two free throws with 8.2 seconds remaining and the Suns had a chance to win, but it looked as if it wouldn&rsquo;t happen when Mikal Bridges missed a corner 3-pointer and the ball was deflected out of bounds.
Instead, it set up Crowder&rsquo;s heave to Ayton, who was dominant in the paint all night.
The Suns have won nine straight in the playoffs, which is a franchise record.
The Suns were led by Cameron Payne, who was brilliant while subbing for All-Star Chris Paul. He finished with a career-high 29 points. Ayton had 22 points and 14 rebounds, while Booker added 20 points.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Cameron Payne was IN THE ZONE ‼️ 29 PTS (playoff career-high) 9 AST (ties playoff career-high) 2 BLK 2 STL 55.7 FPTS (playoff career-high) 2-0 <a href="https://twitter.com/Suns?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Suns</a> ☀️ <a href="https://t.co/rqydbPqQYv">pic.twitter.com/rqydbPqQYv</a>
&mdash; NBA Fantasy (@NBAFantasy) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBAFantasy/status/1407552335346384896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2021</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Payne repeatedly carved through the Clippers defense, making tough buckets at the rim with pretty left-handed finishes. He made what looked like a crucial layup with about 90 seconds left, finishing high off the glass to give the Suns a 100-95 lead.
But the gritty Clippers responded and nearly pulled this one out.
It was a tough night for the stars from Game 1 until the final minutes. Booker shot just 5 of 16 from the field and missed part of the third quarter with a bloody nose. George was 10 of 23 from the field and missed his first seven 3-point attempts before his late buckets.
Ayton continued his eye-opening performance in these playoffs. The No. 1 overall pick in 2018 out of Arizona often has been overshadowed by later picks in the same draft like Atlanta&rsquo;s Trae Young and Dallas&rsquo; Luka Doncic. But he has carved out quite a niche in Phoenix and now has a play that will live in franchise lore.
The Suns were playing without Paul for the second straight game. The 11-time All-Star has been in the league&rsquo;s COVID-19 health and safety protocol for the past week and the team isn&rsquo;t sure when he&rsquo;ll return.
Clippers star Kawhi Leonard missed his fourth straight game with a right knee sprain, and he stayed in Los Angeles to get treatment on the injury.
The action was physical from the opening minutes. Referee Scott Foster gave technicals to Suns forward Jae Crowder and Clippers forward Marcus Morris Sr. after some jawing following a scrum for a loose ball.
The Suns took a 48-47 halftime lead, largely thanks to Payne and Ayton. Payne led all scorers with 16 points before the break, thriving in his role as the fill-in starter for Paul. Ayton added 12 points, punctuated by a soaring alley-oop dunk over Zubac.
BLOODY BOOKER, BEVERLEY
Booker took a shot to the nose late in the third after he bumped heads with Patrick Beverley, who was playing tight defense. The Suns guard fell to the floor and was down for a minute before walking back to the locker room with the medical staff with a towel over his nose.
Beverley was also left bloody on the forehead from the exchange and had to leave the game and change jerseys.
A foul was called on Beverley. The referees ruled it was not flagrant. Booker jogged back out onto the court before the fourth quarter to a big roar from the crowd.
TIP-INS
Clippers: Coach Tyronn Lue shook up the starting lineup, using Beverley and Zubac in place of Nicolas Batum and Terance Mann. ... Leonard and forward Serge Ibaka (back surgery) didn&rsquo;t play. ... Morris was dealing with a sore right knee that limited him in Game 1, but he started on Tuesday.
Suns: Paul and forward Abdel Nader (right knee arthroscopy) didn&rsquo;t play. ... The Suns had the same starting lineup for the second straight game, using Payne in Paul&rsquo;s place.
___
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Deandre Ayton jammed an alley-oop pass from Jae Crowder with 0.7 seconds left, giving the Suns a thrilling 104-103 win over the Clippers.

Valley Oop: Deandre Ayton soars for last-second dunk, Suns beat Clippers

Devin Booker had 40 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists for his first career triple-double and the Phoenix Suns overcame Chris Paul's absence to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 120-114 on Sunday in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals.
Paul sat out because of COVID-19 health and safety protocols. Clippers star Kawhi Leonard missed his third straight game because of a sprained right knee.
Tied at 93 to start the fourth, the Suns went on a 12-2 run and pulled ahead 105-95 on Cam Johnson's dunk with 8:08 remaining. The Clippers wouldn't go away, though, cutting a 10-point deficit in the final two minutes to 116-114 when Terance Mann hit a 3-pointer with 22 seconds left.
Booker scored on a dunk on the next possession to seal Phoenix's seventh straight victory, getting a free lane to the basket on the blown defensive coverage.
Game 2 is on Tuesday night in Phoenix.
Booker was productive and efficient in one of his best games of his career. He shot 15 of 29 from the field, carving apart a defense that had to play just 36 hours after closing out the Utah Jazz on Friday night.
The third quarter featured a stellar scoring duel between Booker and L.A.'s Paul George, who finished with 34 points. Booker scored 18 points in the quarter, and George had 15, including a 3-pointer that tied it at 93 heading to the fourth.
The Suns led 76-68 midway through the third but George scored eight straight points &mdash; including six points on two long 3-pointers &mdash; to tie it up. It was the start of a 16-2 run that helped Los Angeles take an 84-78 lead.
Booker and the Suns responded quickly. Booker scored 12 points &mdash; mostly on mid-range jumpers &mdash; in the final 3:09 of the third to get Phoenix back on track.
Deandre Ayton had 20 points and nine rebounds for the Suns. Cameron Payne started for Paul and had 11 points and nine assists.
Reggie Jackson added 24 points for the Clippers.
The game was a rare stage for both franchises: The Clippers are in the Western Conference finals for the first time in franchise history, while the Suns haven&rsquo;t been this far in 11 years and have never won an NBA title.
BIG-TIME BOOGIE
The Clippers got a boost from veteran big man DeMarcus Cousins in the second quarter. He came into the game and almost immediately threw down a monster dunk over Dario Saric. He scored 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting in his first five minutes on the court.
The talented but oft-injured Cousins has only played in two playoff games this season. The four-time All-Star averaged 7.8 points in 16 regular season games with the Clippers this season.
AWARD-WINNING GM
Suns general manager James Jones was named the NBA's Executive of the Year on Sunday. Team President Robert Sarver surprised Jones with the announcement in a short ceremony at midcourt a few minutes before tipoff.
Jones came to the team two years ago and has helped build the Valley's best team in 11 seasons. His big move was adding Paul during the offeseason but he's also made other key moves, like adding Payne, Torrey Craig and drafting Cameron Johnson.
He got a big ovation from the sellout crowd of 16,583.
The low-key Jones was a man of few words when handed the microphone by Sarver, thanking the crowd and then adding one sentence.
&ldquo;All I can say is &rdquo;Go Suns, let's win," Jones said.
TIP-INS
Clippers: Leonard and forward Serge Ibaka (back surgery) didn't play. Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said on Saturday that Leonard was getting treatment on his knee in Los Angeles and wasn't sure about his availability in Game 2.
Suns: Paul and forward Abdel Nader (right knee arthroscopy) didn't play. Suns coach Monty Williams said Paul's situation is &ldquo;day-to-day.&rdquo;
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Devin Booker had 40 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists for his first career triple-double and the Suns overcame Chris Paul's absence to beat the Clippers.

Devin Booker gets first playoff triple-double, Suns beat Clippers 120-114

The Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Clippers are still playing basketball deep into these NBA playoffs partly because they've learned to persevere in clutch moments without their biggest stars.
That ability could be put to the test again for both teams in the Western Conference finals.
The Suns and Clippers meet in Game 1 on Sunday in Phoenix with the status of some of their most important pieces in doubt. Suns point guard Chris Paul <a href="https://apnews.com/article/basketball-phoenix-suns-coronavirus-pandemic-nba-health-0d3b05b1406a88aecc2d5eb703a4f968">remains in the NBA's COVID-19 health and safety protocol</a> while Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard <a href="https://apnews.com/article/ut-state-wire-los-angeles-clippers-utah-jazz-utah-nba-feeebbf60eeaae493e0a59cb47381bb4">is dealing with a knee injury</a> that kept him out of the final two games of against Utah. Leonard and Paul will at least miss Game 1.
It's not an ideal situation for either team. It's also not the time to complain about it.
&ldquo;You've just got to have a mentality of next man up,&rdquo; Suns forward Jae Crowder said. &ldquo;We have enough in our locker room, we feel, to get the job done.&rdquo;
The Suns released a short update Saturday that Paul is still in the league's health and safety protocol after initially being placed on the list Wednesday. Suns coach Monty Williams said Paul's situation was &ldquo;day-to-day."
The 36-year-old point guard has been vaccinated against COVID-19, said a person with knowledge of the situation, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of privacy concerns. That may mean that Paul could be cleared to return more quickly than some who tested positive earlier this season before vaccines were readily available.
Leonard sprained his right knee during Monday night&rsquo;s Game 4 win of the Jazz. A sprain, by definition, is a ligament injury, but the Clippers have not said which of the four knee ligaments is the cause for concern. He missed the final two games of the team's series win over the Jazz, including Friday night's Game 6.
Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said Leonard was back in Los Angeles getting treatment on his knee and was out for Game 1. He wasn't sure about the forward's status for Game 2.
The Clippers are 13-9 without their All-Star forward this season, including 2-0 in the playoffs. Leonard &mdash; a two-time NBA Finals MVP &mdash; is averaging 30.4 points on 57% shooting in the playoffs.
&ldquo;Our team, I just tell you, they just don&rsquo;t quit,&rdquo; Lue said after Friday's win. "They keep fighting and competing and I think our fans see that this year. We never gave in, never pointed a finger. Never pointed the blame on someone else. We looked in the mirror and we owned it and moved on."
BOOKER, AYTON RISE TO OCCASION
Several of the Suns' best players, including guard Devin Booker and forward Deandre Ayton, are in the postseason for the first time.
It's safe to say they haven't been intimidated.
Booker is averaging nearly 28 points in the playoffs and had one of the postseason's signature moments with 47 points in a closeout win over the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers in the first round.
&ldquo;Throughout these playoffs, he's been phenomenal,&rdquo; Williams said.
Ayton is averaging 15.2 points and 10.6 rebounds while shooting a remarkable 71.6% from the field. He also has provided stellar defense as the team's only true rim protector.
NEXT MANN UP
Terance Mann has moved into the starting lineup the past two games and has continued his breakthrough second season. Mann &ndash; a second-round selection in 2019 &ndash; scored a career-high 39 points in LA&rsquo;s series-ending victory Friday night after having 13 points in Game 5.
The 6-foot-5 Mann, who can play guard and forward, is not afraid to drive to the basket but also possesses a strong perimeter shooting game. He had seven 3-pointers on Friday, becoming the third player in Clippers postseason franchise history to make at least seven 3s in a game.
&ldquo;I mean, you saw him stretch the floor. You saw him defensively. You saw him rebound. You saw him muscle his way to the basket. I mean, you just saw so many flashes of so many different things,&rdquo; Clippers forward Paul George said.
PLAYING WITH PAYNE
If Paul isn't available for the Suns, look for backup Cameron Payne to get a boost in playing time.
The 26-year-old Payne has already shown he can make big plays in the playoffs. Paul hurt his shoulder in Game 1 of the opening round against the Lakers, which severely limited his impact for a handful of games.
The 6-foot-1 Payne picked up the slack, averaging 12.5 points against the Lakers and shooting 41% from 3-point range.
PLAYOFF P STEPPING UP
George has scored at least 28 points in the last four games and has more confidence in his shot.
George was shooting 31.7% from 3-point range in the Clippers first nine playoff games but is 15 of 34 beyond the arc in the last four games of the Utah series.
THE LUE FACTOR
Lue was the coach when the Cleveland Cavaliers overcame a 3-1 deficit against the Golden State Warriors in the 2016 finals. With Lue leading the Clippers, LA is the first team to overcome 2-0 deficits in the same postseason and advance.
For a team that is missing its All-Star forward and rallied from a 25-point deficit on Friday night, the Clippers have emerged as a team that thrives under adversity.
&ldquo;He always finds a way to talk to us so we don&rsquo;t panic,&rdquo; Nicolas Batum said about Lue. &ldquo;A couple times, we were down 2-0, twice, and we&rsquo;re down big-time like in Dallas Game 3, we&rsquo;re down, I mean, big time tonight, and we lose that game and we go back to that crazy place in Utah, and he finds a way, get good guys, get a good shot and get a system. We won this game. I love that coach. You have to give him credit.&rdquo;
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

The Suns and Clippers are still playing basketball deep into these playoffs partly because they've learned to persevere in clutch moments without their biggest stars.