Phoenix Suns vs Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers staved off elimination from the NBA Playoffs after beating the Phoenix Suns 116-102 in Game 5 thanks to Paul George’s fantastic 41-point performance.
The Western Conference Finals now shift back to LA for Game 6, with the Clippers needing to win on home court to force a decisive Game 7 back in Phoenix.
The Clippers continue to battle key injuries, with centre Ivica Zubac joining superstar Kawhi Leonard on the sideline. But with Paul George coming up big and their small-ball lineup causing Phoenix problems, they are still very much alive in this series.
Talking Points
Playoff P coming up big
The Clippers, who were already missing superstar Kawhi Leonard with an ACL injury, suffered another injury blow with the NBA 2021 news that starting centre Ivica Zubac would miss Game 5 due to an MCL sprain. Zubac had been playing well in the series, with three straight double-doubles.
But Paul George stepped up in a big way once again. Just like in Game 5 of the Jazz series when he had 37 points and 16 rebounds, George exploded for a playoff career-high 41 points on a sizzling 15-of-20 shooting with 13 rebounds and six assists to lead the Clippers to victory.
George has not been great shooting the ball in this Suns series, but he is doing all he can to shoulder the offensive load with Leonard out. The Clippers will need a couple more amazing performances from Playoff P if they are to complete another comeback.
Clippers’ small-ball succeeds again
In a way, Zubac’s injury was a blessing in disguise for the Clippers as it forced head coach Tyronn Lue to play his small-ball lineup, which has been quite effective in these playoffs. And it worked once again in Game 5.
Marcus Morris Sr., who is dealing with his own knee issue, had to start at centre in Zubac’s absence and was excellent with 22 points on 9-of-16 shooting in 39 minutes. Meanwhile, he and the rest of the Clippers defence did a terrific job limiting Deandre Ayton.
Clippers big man DeMarcus Cousins also deserves a lot of credit as he popped up with 15 points on 7-of-12 shooting in just 11 minutes, which gave the team a much-needed boost off the bench.
If Zubac is again unable to play in Game 6, Lue will have no choice but to stick with this small lineup, which is not a bad option to have.
Suns need Ayton to shine
The bright side to the Suns losing Game 5 was that star guards Devin Booker and Chris Paul — who have both been on major shooting slumps — looked a bit better as they combined for 53 points.
However, Deandre Ayton had by far his worst game of the series as he finished with just 10 points in 37 minutes despite Zubac’s absence.
Ayton has been rock-solid in this series, averaging 20 points and 13 rebounds through the first four games. With the Suns struggling to score of late, they will need their young big man to bounce back and provide the offensive production they need to close out the Clippers.
History
The Clippers have been the comeback kings in this postseason. They have gone down 0-2 in their first two series against the Dallas Mavericks and Utah Jazz, but they have stormed back each time.
However, both history and the NBA 2021 odds are still against them as teams who have held a 3-1 series lead in the NBA playoffs have won 95 per cent of the time. The Clippers were on the wrong end of that turnaround last season when they lost to the Denver Nuggets after taking a 3-1 lead.
What are the odds?
Despite their Game 5 win, SBOTOP odds still have the Phoenix Suns as significant 1.20 favourites to win the series and move on to the NBA Finals. Meanwhile, the Clippers are priced at 4.12 to win in seven games.
The Clippers have done the hard part by winning on the road and stand a much better chance of taking Game 6 at home in front of their fans. Going small saved them against both the Mavs and Jazz, and they should stick to those lineups even if Zubac is fit enough to play.
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
●●●
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE BASKETBALL STORIES & ODDS
Stay updated with everything sports and betting.
Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
