The tide turned for the familiar reason that often explains an NBA team’s success. Talent often trumps everything. It accentuates strengths. It also covers up blemishes.
In the Phoenix Suns’ case, that talent ensured a 123-109 win over the Los Angeles Clippers in their first-round playoff series. Phoenix tied the series at 1-1 largely because Devin Booker (38 points) and Kevin Durant (25) fulfilled their needed job description as dominant scorers. Chris Paul excelled as the team’s organizer (16 points, eight assists). Deandre Ayton thrived as the team’s big man (14 points).
Meanwhile, the Clippers experienced a hard lesson that a key injury to a star player and lack of depth often leaves NBA teams without much margin for error. Kawhi Leonard (31 points) and Russell Westbrook (28) tried to provide the antidote to the Suns’ top-heavy talent. But the Clippers received little help from Norman Powell (4-for-11), Bones Hyland (2-for-7), Nicolas Batum (0-for-4) and Ivica Zubac (2-for-7). And with Paul George missing his second playoff game after sitting the last nine regular-season games, it became clear the Clippers face a hefty haul with playing the rest of this first-round playoff series without him.
Nonetheless, the Phoenix Suns haven’t exactly taken control of the series. The Clippers host the Suns for Game 3 on Thursday (10 pm ET, TNT) at Crypto.com Arena still holding home-court advantage. As they showed in Game 1, the Suns remain vulnerable with their lack of depth. But as they demonstrated in Game 2, they can rely on its superb talent to make up the difference.
Devin Booker comes through for Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns closed the first half on a 11-2 run after Booker made a 3 as time expired. The Suns opened the second half with a tightened rotation that featured mostly just their star players. Then, Booker scored 25 of his 38 points in the second half.
Booker and his star teammates took advantage of the Clippers playing in drop coverage and leaving them open with uncontested jumpers. The Clippers took that gamble to limit the Suns’ trips to the rim and to the free-throw line. Before, the Clippers threw multiple bodies at the Suns stars in hopes to wear them down. With the Clippers collecting 20 fouls, though, they changed tactics.
That suited the Suns just fine. Booker and Durant appeared much more aggressive than in Game 1 when the Clippers hoped a grind-it-out affair could wear out the Suns. Paul and Ayton became much more efficient for similar reasons, too. Both the Suns and Clippers will have to figure out how to walk that tight rope going forward.
Initially, the Phoenix Suns did not want to just rely on its stars. The battle of attrition would quickly catch up to them. But the Suns also need to lean on the only formula that will ensure them any postseason success. By dealing for Durant, the Suns conceded they were willing to sacrifice their depth for two simple reasons. When healthy, Durant remains the NBA’s most dangerous and efficient scorer. Booker, Paul and Ayton would become even more dominant because of all the defensive attention that Durant would attract.
Leonard and Westbrook lack that luxury with George staying sidelined. With the Clippers role players offering little to compensate, the Suns determined it was appropriate to let their star players do the heavy lifting. The Suns will soon find out if that is enough to make an NBA title run, let alone eliminate the Clippers in the first round. As demonstrated in Game 2, however, the Suns properly demonstrated why talent alone can often solve a lot of problems.
Mark Medina covers the NBA for Sportsnaut. Follow him on Twitter and on Instagram.