Durant scores 31, Suns beat Clippers 112-100 for 3-1 lead

LOS ANGELES(AP) — Kevin Durant scored 31 points, Devin Booker added 30 and thePhoenix Suns defeated the Los Angeles Clippers without KawhiLeonard 112-100 on Saturday to take a commanding 3-1 lead in thefirst-round playoff series.

The Clippers,who lost Game 3 by five points, again made a strong run withLeonard watching from the bench. He has missed two straight gameswith a sprained right knee. They’re also without Paul George, whohasn’t played since March 21 because of the same injury asLeonard.

RussellWestbrook carried the Clippers in the fourth quarter. He had 14points, including nine in a row when they twice pulled within twopoints.

Westbrookfinished with a game-high 37 points. Norman Powell added 14 pointsand Terance Mann had 13 off the bench.

Game 5 isTuesday in Phoenix.

But as thefourth wound down, the Clippers ran out of gas.

Chris Paul,the 37-year-old former Clipper, had 12 points in the fourth,hitting big jumpers from all over the court each time the LosAngeles threatened.

Paul finishedwith 19 points and nine assists. Booker had nine rebounds and sevenassists. Deandre Ayton had 15 points and 13 rebounds.

Lookingageless at 34, Durant scored 11 points in the third, when the Sunserased an early eight-point deficit.

The Clippersscored nine straight points to open the third and take aneight-point lead. But Durant scored 11 points in the period, cappedby a 3-pointer that sent the Suns into the fourth leading83-78.

The Sunstrailed by 11 points early in the second, when they outscored theClippers 25-17 and led 48-47 at the break.

Durant pickedup his third foul in the period, while Westbrook, Powell and MarcusMorris already had two fouls apiece for the Clippers.

TIP-INS

Suns: CamPayne (low back soreness) has yet to play in the postseason.

Clippers: Gotoutrebounded 49-33. ... Bench outscored the Suns’ reserves,26-9.