Westbrook’s efforts fall short as the LA Clippers drop to 1-3
The story of game four was Russell Westbrook as he had the LA Clippers on his back against the entire Phoenix Suns squad.
Though Westbrook dropped 37 points, LA failed to knot the series as the Phoenix Suns dealt the Clippers 112-100, forcing a 3-1 deficit.
Playing without their own superstars Paul George and Kawhi Leonard, Westbrook took the offensive cudgels and nearly willed his team to victory. Furthermore, the former MVP scored 14 points in the final frame including nine in a row to put the Clippers in front by two.
Westbrook’s memorable performance made him the sixth player in Clipper history to notch consecutive 30+ point games. Previously, in game three, Westbrook dominated with 30 points, eight rebounds, and 12 assists.
However, these stat lines went to waste as Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Chris Paul connived to survive every Clippers scare down the stretch.
The LA Clippers could not handle the Suns’ offensive firepower.
Against the LA Clippers, Kevin Durant tallied 31 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists, while Devin Booker recorded 30 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists. Chris Paul nailed 12 points of his total 19 in the fourth quarter through timely jumpers that bailed out the Suns on numerous stretches.
Deandre Ayton also had 15 points and 13 rebounds, rounding up the Suns’ offensive barrage that, similar to what happened in Game 3, kept the Clippers at bay for most of the final quarter.
On the other hand, Normal Powell, who scored 42 points in Game 3, was the second-leading scorer for the Clippers with 14 points, while Terrance Mann chipped in 13 off the bench.
The Clippers zoomed to a strong start, even building an 11-point lead early in the second frame, before squandering it after the Suns countered with a 25-17 swing to take a one-point lead at halftime.
The Clippers, then, blasted out of the break with nine straight points, until Durant stepped on the gas with 11 third-quarter points to stamp out Los Angeles’ eight-point edge to lead by five heading to the final period.
dark. Next. 3 offseason trades for the LA Clippers
It was a back-and-forth affair from there up to the time the Suns’ firepower proved too much for the Clippers.
The pivotal Game 5 will swing back to Phoenix on Tuesday.