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The Phoenix Suns defeated the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 3 of their first-round series behind 45 points from Devin Booker. The All-Star shooting guard told Ashley ShahAhmadi of NBA TV after the game that the team came with a “hit-first mindset.”
“Just win at all costs,” Booker said. “That’s our motto. We don’t wanna give any games away. Even though they were undermanned today, we know those guys are still gonna bring it. So we had to come with a hit-first mindset and we just weathered the storm throughout the whole game.”
Booker was unstoppable in Game 3 at Crypto.com Arena. The Kentucky product, who is looking to win his first NBA championship, shot 18-of-29 from the field, 3-of-7 from beyond the arc and 6-of-7 from the free-throw line in 45 minutes. By winning Game 3, the Suns reclaimed home-court advantage in the best-of-seven series.
Game 4 is on April 22. Phoenix will look to take a commanding 3-1 series lead.
Devin Booker: Kevin Durant & Chris Paul Open Up the Floor for Me
Booker told ShahAhmadi that two-time champion Kevin Durant and veteran point guard Chris Paul open up the floor for him, making it easier to score the ball.
“I’m just put in the right situations,” Booker said. “We have KD out here. We have Chris Paul. Those guys attract a lot of attention. It opens up spots for me. Coach does a good job of putting us in situations where we can succeed and that’s just what we been doing.”
Durant had 28 points in Game 3, while Paul finished with 11 points and seven assists against his former team. The Suns have only lost one game with Durant in the lineup. That was Game 1 of the Clippers series on April 16 at the Footprint Center.
Will Kawhi Leonard Play in Game 4?
Clippers superstar small forward Kawhi Leonard didn’t play in Game 3 because of a sprained right knee. The two-time Finals MVP, who missed the entire 2021-22 season due to an ACL injury, aggravated his knee at the end of the Clippers’ Game 1 victory over the Suns and played through it in Game 2.
“Symptoms got worse after Game 2,” Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said before Game 3. “Obviously, if we weren’t comfortable with [Leonard] playing [in Game 2], we wouldn’t have, but after the game, things didn’t get better. They got worse. So we will rule him out and kind of take it day by day.”
Leonard is averaging 34.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 2.0 steals while shooting 54.5% from the field and 60.0% from beyond the arc against the Suns. It’s unknown if the future Hall of Famer will play in Game 4.
Paul George, Leonard’s All-Star running mate, is expected to miss the entire series, sources told Heavy Sports.
“He desperately, desperately wants to play,” Frank said of Leonard. “This is the playoffs. This is what these guys live for, especially him, where he’s one of the few players in the history of this game, the highest level of players, that his game just gets better and better. He’s extremely disappointed and frustrated he can’t play tonight.”
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