The Phoenix Suns went into Thursday's matchup vs the Los Angeles Clippers firing on all cylinders. The Suns had just won nine straight playoff games and their leader, Chris Paul, was finally eligible to play. Paul had missed the previous two games against the Clippers after entering the league's health and safety protocols after the Suns swept the Denver Nuggets. Devin Booker was also recovering from breaking his nose in three places after colliding with Patrick Beverley in the third quarter of Game 2.
Game 3 started similar to the previous two games with both teams trading blows and matching what the other was doing. However, there was one different key factor. Chris Paul was back. In every other game of the season, the presence of Paul on the court would allow for easy shots, which would lead to a high field goal percentage. This was not the case in Game 3. The Suns couldn't get shots to fall but managed to go into halftime with a two-point lead after Paul George drained a half-court as time expired in the half. To make matters worse, breakout performer, Cameron Payne, had to leave the game due to an ankle injury early in the first half and his status for Game 4 is still up in the air.
Considering how the first half went, I was pleased that the Suns had a lead even if it was slim. The Suns did not shoot well and did not do a good job protecting the paint and staying out of foul trouble. Ivica Zubac shot what felt like 30 free throws in the half after getting shots up in the paint with ease. But none of that matter because the Suns were winning. As a fan, I never care how poorly the players play as long as they win and that's what Phoenix was doing. All I knew was that for the Suns to keep the lead and take a 3-0 lead they were going to need to improve on the things that I mentioned above. However, that did not happen.
The Clippers wasted no time getting into a groove and immediately went on a 21-3 run. Phoenix didn't have an answer for anything that the Clippers were doing and paid the price for it. The Suns' stars, Booker and Paul, shot a combined 10 - 40 from the field. It is always going to be difficult to win games when the stars end up shooting so poorly. Clippers ended up winning the game 106 - 92.
First and foremost I am a fan of the Suns, always have been, always will be. With that being said, I have seen a lot of Suns basketball and this season feels very different than seasons I have experienced in the past. I don't think that this loss is the end of the world and I have no doubt in my mind that the star players are going to be back in Game 4 with a vengeance. The Suns have a great group of players and the leadership around them to not let this loss weigh and bring them down. So I ask my fellow Suns fans to believe in this team as I do. We got this!
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