Devin Booker scores 47, leads Suns past Clippers to win series

PHOENIX (AP)— Devin Booker scored 47 points, including 25 in a spectacularthird quarter, to lead the Phoenix Suns past the Los AngelesClippers 136-130 on Tuesday night and win the Western Conferencefirst-round playoff series in five games.

The Clippersdidn’t go quietly, nearly coming back from a 20-point deficit earlyin the fourth.

Los Angeleshad multiple chances to tie in the final three minutes, but couldnever convert. Durant made a layup to push Phoenix’s lead to134-130 and then made two free throws to put the Suns up six with31.3 seconds left.

Durantfinished with 31 points while Deandre Ayton had 21 points and 11rebounds. Booker shot 19 of 27 from the field.

Durant’sfinal free throws capped a wild back-and-forth second half that sawthe Clippers take a 71-61 lead early in the third.

But the Suns— led by Booker’s stellar shot making — unleashed a powerful waveof offense, pouring in 50 points in the third quarter to take a111-94 lead into the fourth. Booker made 10 of 11 shots in therally, including three 3-pointers and a tomahawk fastbreakdunk.

The flusteredClippers had no answer until it was too late. Norman Powell led LosAngeles with 27 points while Mason Plumlee scored 20 off thebench.

It was atough night for Russell Westbrook, who scored 14 points on 3 of 18shooting and had a costly turnover in the final minute.

The Suns willplay the top-seeded Denver Nuggets in the second round. Game 1 isSaturday in Denver.

The seriestook a turn last week when the Clippers announced Leonard had asprained right knee. The two-time Finals MVP suffered the injury inGame 1 and played through it in Game 2, but his conditionworsened.

He missedGames 3 and 4 and the Clippers lost both contests.

But LosAngeles stayed competitive in those games and Tuesday nightcontinued that trend — for a while. The Clippers took a 70-61halftime lead, led by Powell’s 16 points. Ayton scored 18 for theSuns.

HISTORICBOOK

Booker becamejust the third player in the past 25 seasons to score at least 25points in a quarter during a playoff game. The others were DamianLillard (25 in 2019) and Allen Iverson (26 in 2001).

TIP-INS

Suns: Backupguard Cam Payne played for the first time in the playoffs. Hemissed the first four games with a sore back. He played threeminutes but didn’t score. ... Hosted a 77th straight sellout,combining regular season and postseason games.

Clippers:Eight-time All-Star Paul George also missed the game with asprained right knee. He hasn’t played since March 21. ... Had a26-16 rebounding advantage in the first half. ... Backup guardBones Hyland scored nine points in the first half.