Suns Fall to Clippers in Regular Season Finale

PHOENIX -- With a resting starting lineup, the Phoenix Suns weren't quite able to end the season on a high note in a 119-114 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Suns finish the regular season splitting their season series 2-2 with the Clippers. Though they rested their starters in their final two games, they stroll into the postseason having won their last seven-of-nine games. Phoenix will be the No. 4 seed as the Western Conference playoffs begin with a 45-37 record.

The likes of Kevin Durant, Deandre Ayton, Devin Booker and Chris Paul sat for a second consecutive game after the Suns locked their playoff positioning in on Thursday.

Bismack Biyombo and Cameron Payne were injured in Friday's loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, something coach Monty Williams said probably contributed to again resting his starters.

“I’m sure it does," Williams said prior to the game.

"Anytime you try to prioritize the load, health, managing some soreness and things that guys have, you don’t get to this point without guys having a few issues that you want to are as clean as possible going into next week. And then you see two guys out there, playing the way we play, go down, I’m sure it does. Everything we’re doing is trying to make sure guys are as healthy as they can be.”

The Clippers - still looking to finish as high as possible in the West, didn't rest anybody despite being on the tail end of a back-to-back.

The Suns rolled out a starting lineup of Saben Lee (Phoenix's highest scorer with 25), Landry Shamet, Josh Okogie, Ish Wainright and Jock Landale. Wainright was the only starter to not score in double digits.

Phoenix reached up to an 11-point lead and led throughout most of the action before the Clippers took a 92-91 lead with just under nine minutes to play and battled to victory in a tight contest the rest of the way.

Norman Powell led all scorers with 29 points. The Clippers shot a mere 21.7% from three-point land.

With the LA win, the two squads will meet each other in the first round of the Western Conference Playoffs, which is set to begin next weekend.