The Phoenix Suns continued their season-long seven-game home stand as they tipped off against the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night.
After a slow start against the 76ers on Wednesday, the Suns made an impressive comeback, but came up just short in the final seconds. The Suns looked to be in a similar situation on Friday as the Clippers held a 68-44 lead at halftime.
The Clippers extended their lead to thirty with under five minutes left in the third quarter, but the Suns second unit once again led the way as the team began to battle back.
Josh Jackson and Jamal Crawford combined for 13 points as they slowly chipped away at the Clippers lead, bringing it to within 20. The Suns looked poised for another comeback, but it would once again take a miracle to close it out in the final 12 minutes.
“They are playing free. They are playing with energy. Not running many sets, just getting stops and getting easy buckets,” Devin Booker said about the second unit. “With that group with Josh, Kelly, Jamal, Richaun, they are locking up defensively and they are just getting on in transition and just playing basketball and having fun doing it.”
Booker and T.J. Warren checked back in, combining for 19 points in just the fourth quarter as they helped bring the deficit to just 10. Although the Suns outscored the Clippers by 14 in the second half, it just wasn’t enough as they Clipper closed out the game 121-111.
Booker scored a team-high 23 points on 57.1 percent shooting while also dishing out four assists with three rebounds. Warren got it done on both sides of the court with 20 points while also getting four steals.
Richaun Holmes battled in the second unit as he finished with 16 points, four rebounds, three steals and three blocks.
The Suns will hit the court on Sunday as they face off against the Charlotte Hornets at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Be sure to catch the action on Fox Sports Arizona.