The Phoenix Suns continue to look comfortable at home with a victory over the Clippers on Thursday night, winning 115-102 behind a second half in which they outscored Los Angeles 67-51.
It was the debut
of Jalen Green that took the Clippers by surprise, forcing them to make adjustments just to find any rhythm on offense heading into the second half. Jalen was electric, scoring 29 points in 23 minutes played and setting the record for most three-pointers made in a Suns’ debut with 6.
The Suns had their hands full with Ivica Zubac, who tallied 16 points and three offensive rebounds in the first half. His size and presence in the paint were too much to handle, keeping the Clippers within striking distance heading into halftime. But he ended with 23 and 11 as he was neutralized in the final two quarters.
The Suns, who trailed 51-48 at the half, woke up and took control of the game behind Jalen Green and Devin Booker, who combined for a total of 53 points on the night. Their energy flipped the tempo, pushing Phoenix back into command with a fast-paced attack and defensive pressure that shut down the Clippers completely.
Phoenix is now 4-5 on the season and have won 3 of their last 4 games.
Game Flow
First Half
Making up the first nine of the Suns’ 11 points to start the game, Booker and Green looked like a dynamic duo, hitting shots from both sides of the floor and attacking the rim. In Green’s first appearance as a Sun, the crowd buzzed with excitement, while Bradley Beal’s early touches were met with a chorus of boos.
Without Harden and Leonard, the game remained competitive through the first six minutes, as Ivica Zubac dominated the paint and held a two-point lead over the Suns heading into the first timeout.
Leading the Clippers with 10 points to end the first quarter, Zubac continued to grab offensive boards and pound the Suns inside, specifically, Oso Ighodaro, who again found himself lost multiple times on defense. Trying to set screens and rolling into nonexistence space, Oso made a fun first quarter a little miserable.
The Suns found themselves on top of the Clippers 31-27 heading into the second quarter, behind Green’s eight points and Booker’s 11 points. Nearly a flawless quarter for both players.
The Suns opened the second quarter with a rough lineup featuring Nick Richards and Oso at the five and four. A string of low-IQ plays, turnovers, and poor shot selection quickly turned a solid start into a shaky 35-33 lead within the first three minutes of the quarter.
A slow, mucky game turned into a Clippers-style slugfest, as the Suns’ stagnant offense and mounting turnovers left them searching for a hot hand.
That was Green. Coming back into the game with about four minutes left till halftime, Green cleaned up real nice and hit some high-rising threes that landed the Suns back in front with a one-point lead with a minute left in the second quarter, until the Clippers snagged the lead back 51-48 at the break.
Second Half
Opening the second half on fire, the Suns — led by Royce O’Neale — started rattling the rims and taking back control from the Clippers. Their energy around the perimeter, finding the best shooter and the right shot, put Phoenix in a prime position to grab its biggest lead of the game at 61–55.
Exploding to the rim and taking the game into his own hands, Jalen Green helped the Suns attack the free-throw line — something they’ve struggled with this season. Going 3-for-3 from deep, Green’s eight points in the third quarter fueled a 12-point lead as the Suns began turning defense into massive offense.
The Suns began to pull away by the end of the third quarter. After taking some time to find their rhythm with Jalen Green in the mix, his impact became undeniable, sparking the rest of the roster to step up and help push Phoenix ahead by 20.
After committing 11 turnovers in the first half, the Suns tightened up and gave the ball away only twice in the third quarter. That shift in control provided the momentum they needed to carry an 88–74 lead into the fourth.
Fans were hyped, and the Suns were playing electric, blowing the Clippers out of the building and grabbing their fourth win of the season, 115-102.
Up Next
It’s these same Clippers on Saturday night, this time at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles.
