Clippers stun Suns in Game 1: Kawhi Leonard shines, Russell Westbrook gritty in secure

The Clippers took Game 1 of their first-round playoff sequence against the Suns with a 115-110 victory over Phoenix at the Footprint Center on Sunday. Here’s what it is top to silent know:

• Los Angeles essential particular person forward Kawhi Leonard led his crew with 38 functions, five rebounds and five assists while sinking 9 of 10 free-throw makes an attempt.
• Russell Westbrook shot 3-of-19 from the ground, scoring 9 functions, but recorded eight assists, 10 rebounds, two steals and three blocks. He sealed the secure with two free throws adopted by a key defensive play within the final seconds.
• Kevin Durant paced the Suns with 27 functions, 11 assists and 9 rebounds while Devin Booker contributed 26 functions.

The Athletic’s quick prognosis:

Evaluating Westbrook’s day out

Westbrook did no longer hold a correct shooting sport. In actuality, it was as soon as his worst as a Clipper, making most productive three of 19 pictures from the arena, including most productive one of six 3s. The uncomfortable shooting damage the Clippers at some level of a 25-level Phoenix turnaround that drained a 16-level Clippers lead and had the Suns up 9 functions within the third quarter.

Nevertheless Westbrook made all of the assorted plays in an impactful fourth quarter, in particular within the last three minutes of the sport with the Clippers clinging to a 100-ninety 9 lead. Devoted in that time, Westbrook had two rebounds, two assists, two seize free throws and a sport-sealing block of a quick Booker force with the Clippers nursing a 3-level lead and neither crew having a timeout left.

Overall, the Clippers outscored the Suns by three functions in Westbrook’s fourth-quarter minutes, in a sport that was as soon as tied coming into the fourth quarter. Remarkably, Westbrook’s teams are truly 2-0 when he shoots precisely 3-of-19 from the arena, with the assorted secure coming in Game 4 with the Washington Wizards within the 2021 quarterfinals against the Philadelphia 76ers. Westbrook would possibly want to be greater at making pictures, but his influence previous shotmaking helped the Clippers seize dwelling-court profit. — Murray

What else worked for LA?

The Clippers started Game 1 with a defensive mindset against the Suns, retaining Phoenix to 18 functions on 21 pictures. Westbrook blocked Durant’s shot as a component of an opening quarter effort that held Durant scoreless on four makes an attempt, while Booker had an ambiance friendly opening quarter (six functions on 3-of-8 shooting). Eric Gordon took on the Durant project with aplomb while leading all scorers with 12 first-quarter functions on 5-of-6 shooting.

Leonard elevated his scoring in every quarter, totaling a sport-high 38 functions on 13-of-24 shooting. Nevertheless Leonard’s elevated scoring was as soon as nearly irrelevant after Durant and Booker unloaded for a combined 27 2d-quarter functions, then Torrey Craig — taking profit of the Clippers turning Durant true into a passer — scored 11 of his 22 functions within the third quarter.

The Clippers’ bench saved this sport, with Norman Powell leading the manner with 14 functions to outscore your entire Phoenix bench 14-10, while Terance Mann, Bones Hyland and Mason Plumlee added 20 extra functions. Leonard’s 13 fourth-quarter functions were adequate to outduel Durant’s 10 fourth-quarter functions, and no matter the Suns having extra essential particular person power subsequent to Durant, Leonard merely had extra abet.

The key stats for the Clippers were 2d-probability functions and offensive rebounds. The Clippers had a 15-6 profit on the offensive glass, nullifying the indisputable reality that the Suns gained the turnover warfare 14-10, while outscoring the Suns 12-7 on 2d-probability functions. That 2d-probability level differential matched the final margin of the sport. — Murray

What went fallacious for Phoenix

The Suns battled serve from 16 down. They positioned themselves to secure. They merely couldn’t derive a defensive rebound as soon as they vital one. Down 109-108 with a minute left, the Suns compelled three overlooked pictures — and didn’t rob the rebound every time. That sequence ended with two Westbrook free throws that gave the Clippers the vital cushion to seize Game 1.

Some of it was as soon as straightforward urgency. Westbrook shot 3-of-19 from the arena but was as soon as the largest player on the ground within the fourth quarter. He had five rebounds within the final quarter alone. Phoenix couldn’t match his energy. — Haller 

Suns’ depth a continued source of arena

With 4:42 left within the third quarter, Torrey Craig hit a 3 to present the Suns their greatest lead, 77-68. After a mostly silent first half, a sold-out crowd at the Footprint Center got here to life. Phoenix had momentum — and the Suns gave it all serve.

Amongst the concerns after the Durant commerce was as soon as an absence of depth. Here it was as soon as on cowl. With Phoenix taking part in mostly reserves, the Clippers outscored the Suns 13-4 the the leisure of the quarter to deadlock the contest at 81-81 coming into the fourth. An huge opportunity for the Suns to take regulate slipped away. Overall, the Los Angeles bench outscored the Phoenix bench 34-10. No Phoenix reserve scored bigger than four functions, a converse that may need to be addressed before Tuesday’s Game 2. — Haller

What they’re announcing

“Humbly talking, at this space, no one’s greater rebounding than me,” Westbrook acknowledged after the secure.

Spotlight of the sport

RUSSELL WESTBROOK SEALS THE GAME FOR THE CLIPPERS ON THE DEFENSIVE END 🔒

🎥 @NBA | @LAClippers pic.twitter.com/oxpuyDkRVC

— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) April 17, 2023

Required reading

• Kevin Durant commerce made Suns a title contender. It will also hold masked some of their flaws
• NBA playoffs 2023 predictions: Anonymous scout, coach, exec pick first-round winners
• Scouting the Suns: A examine the Clippers’ first-round playoff matchup
• The Athletic’s NBA playoff bracket

(Characterize: Christian Petersen / Getty Pictures)