PHOENIX, AZ – In the Valley of the Sun with the heat outside baking, the action on the court was even hotter especially Suns guard Devin Booker who guided the Suns to a 120-114 win and a 1-0 lead in the Western Conference Finals series.
Booker finished with 40 points, 11 assist and 13 rebounds in his first career triple-double. Booker picked up the slack with an absent Chris Paul who remains in COVID-19 health and safety protocols. It was a slugfest and battle down to the final minutes of the fourth quarter. A resilient Clippers would not go away with the game tied at 93 in the fourth quarter, the Suns took the lead thanks to a 12-2 lead that allowed them some breathing room. However in this series no lead is safe, and with less than thirty seconds remaining, Terance Mann knocked down a huge three pointer where the Clippers trailed by two points.
Suns held down the court and held on for the win in front of a packed and loud home crowd.
“It’s very special… but the win feels better that is what I’m out there for,” Booker said regarding his first triple double game. “It took a whole team collective group to get things done tonight.”
Booker also explained what it meant to have true legends in her life like Chris Paul and the late Kobe Bryant.
“I’ve been student of the game for a long time, Kobe being one of my mentors and Chris being one of my mentors and not being able to be here with us today. We wanted to do it for him [Chris], we all knew we have to give it a little bit more. Ball security and my job keeping everyone involved. Just the mentality and people say the Mamba mentality just the approach to do whatever it takes at all costs to get a win. It may not be 40 points the next game, it might more assists or more plays for my teammates. Just valuing every possession.”
DeAndre Ayton finished with 20 points and nine rebounds and Cameron Payne had 11 points and nine assist starting for Paul.
The Suns host the Clippers for Game 2 on Tuesday at 6PM PT at Phoenix Suns Arena.
