Red-hot Clippers sink rising Suns in LA
Paul George and Kawhi Leonard combined for 60 points as the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Phoenix Suns 113-103 in a Western Conference showdown between two teams playing their best basketball down the final stretch of the season.
At Staples Center, George delivered 33 points and Leonard tallied 27 for the Clippers, who recently added some experienced veterans in DeMarcus Cousins and Rajon Rondo to help fortify their play-off roster.
Rondo, who came over in a trade with the Atlanta Hawks, scored 15 points and nine assists and Cousins, who was signed after being released by the Houston Rockets, did not play on Thursday but is expected to add some muscle in the Clippers expected long playoff run.
“We got a deep roster. We are starting to build our identity,” George said.
George, who poured in 36 points in a win on Tuesday over Portland, shot 12 of 19 from the floor and seven of nine from three-point range on Thursday.
“When I come out to attack, I am in a good place,” said George. “Everything else takes care of itself. If I have a scorer mentality it gives me confidence to make shots.”
The Clippers are in the midst of a nine-game homestand and have won eight of their last 10 games.
The Clippers shut down the Suns top player Devin Booker by putting Patrick Beverley on him. Booker had 24 points, Mikal Bridges added 20 points and Chris Paul totalled 13 points, seven rebounds and three assists.
In a battle of the top two teams in the NBA on Wednesday, the Suns took care of business at home against Utah, with a 117-113 overtime victory.
Elsewhere, Chicago’s new look roster is blending together nicely as the Bulls had seven players in double-figure scoring in beating the Toronto Raptors 122-113 in an Eastern Conference match-up.
Orlando import Nikola Vucevic and Zach LaVine scored a team-high 22 points each for the Bulls, who are battling the Raptors for the 10th and final play-off spot in the East standings.
The Bulls improved to 22-28 while Toronto dropped to 20-32 on the season. With their second win over Toronto, the Bulls clinched the threegame season series and the teams meet again on May 13 in Chicago.
Lauri Markkanen, Coby White and Daniel Theis came off the bench to provide double-figure scoring for the Bulls, who have won two straight after a six-game skid.
In Texas, Luka Doncic finished with 27 points, nine rebounds and nine assists as the Dallas Mavericks posted a 116-101 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Bucks played without two-time reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee) for the third straight game and the fifth time in the past 10. Milwaukee have lost two straight games and five of the past eight.
Also, Jimmy Butler scored 28 points to lead the hosts Heat to a 110-104 win over the mistake-prone Lakers.
RESULTS
Utah 122, Portland 103; Dallas 116, Milwaukee 101; Toronto 113, Chicago 122; Miami 110, LA Lakers 104; LA Clippers 113, Phoenix 103; Sacramento 101, Detroit 113; Oklahoma City 102, Cleveland 129