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Kawhi Leonard scored 15 points on 4-for-21
shooting, and Luke Kennard and Nicolas Batum scored 14 points
apiece for the Clippers.
Devin Booker had 25 points and eight assists, Deandre Ayton had
24 points and eight rebounds, and Chris Paul and Dario Saric
finished with 15 points each for the Suns, who entered the day
tied for the best record in the NBA at 5-1.
The Suns trailed by as many as 31 points in the first half
before cutting the deficit to seven at the end of the third
quarter.
Phoenix then scored the first five points of the fourth to trim
the lead to 88-86, and got as close as one point with 10:20
remaining.
Booker missed a 3-pointer with 34.6 seconds left that would have
tied the score, and Batum made a 3 on the other end with 11.9
seconds remaining to give the Clippers a 110-104 lead.
The Clippers gained their big first-half lead behind a 23-0 run
that bridged the first and second quarters.
George hit a 3-pointer at the end of the first quarter to give
the Clippers a 37-24 lead. George scored 14 points in the
opening quarter on 5 for 7 shooting, and Los Angeles shot 60.9
percent as a team.
Phoenix shot 11 for 19 in the opening quarter, but committed
seven turnovers
The Clippers then scored the first 15 of the second quarter to
move ahead 52-24, the fifth time this season they've led by at
least 20 points in the first half.
Los Angeles eventually took a 64-44 lead into halftime behind 22
points from George.
Phoenix continued to chip away at the lead and got within 15
points midway through the third quarter before cutting it to
single digits on Cameron Johnson's 3-pointer with 18.6 seconds
left. The score remained 88-81 entering the fourth.
--Field Level Media
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