Game Recap: Phoenix Suns Defeat LA Clippers 106-89

The LA Clippers are going through their most difficult stretch of the season, and are doing so without their top talent. Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are both injured, and the rest of the team has been in and out of the lineup with injuries and league protocols. Despite that, the team continues to fight hard, but the losses have started to pile up. After falling in Phoenix on Thursday, the Clippers are now below .500 again, and just a half game above the 9th-seed Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Clippers fell behind early in this game, but cut the lead all the way down to five during the fourth quarter. A combination of missed shots, turnovers, and defensive rebounding issues ultimately sealed their fate. Lead guard Reggie Jackson echoed these sentiments after the game, stating he and the team need to be better.

Jackson said it becomes demoralizing when you give a team so many extra shots by not grabbing defensive rebounds. Reggie also took a lot of responsibility for his turnovers in this game, stating he has to do a better job taking care of the ball. He and Eric Bledsoe combined for nine turnovers this game, which makes it incredibly hard to win as a shorthanded team against the league's top record.

The lone bright spot for the Clippers in this game was Marcus Morris, who scored a season-high 26 points on 3/6 from deep. Morris has now scored at least 20 points in 9 of his last 12 contests, but the Clippers are just 4-5 in these games. Many have come without Paul George, so it is encouraging to see Morris step up as a primary scoring option with both Kawhi and PG sidelined, even if the wins haven't been there.

The Phoenix Suns were led by Chris Paul, who tallied a triple-double with 14 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists. He set up the Phoenix scoring in this game, and did a good job orchestrating their offense while Devin Booker shot just 5/22 from the field. The leading scorer for Phoenix was Cam Johnson, who finished with 24 points on 9/14 shooting.

The Clippers will now head back home for a crucial stretch before heading back on the road again.

Steph Curry Gives Update on Quad Injury Suffered Against Mavericks

Kyrie Irving Reacts to Finally Playing Again

Reggie Jackson Gives Update on Paul George's Injury

Related Articles