Without Kawhi Leonard and James Harden, the Clippers built a 37-point lead against Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns.
Even though the Phoenix Suns did not pull off the biggest comeback in NBA history since they trailed by 37 points prior to their 105-92 loss to the LA Clippers Tuesday, the Suns’ top two players, Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, remained positive about the team’s remaining three games.
Booker, who is in his ninth season with the Suns, has been a part of teams that finished at the bottom of the West.
“I don’t get into the, ‘too high or too low,’ thing,” said Booker, who finished with 12 points on 1-of-11 shooting and five assists.
“Our next task is tomorrow.”
Phoenix coach Frank Vogel was short in his postgame press conference. Vogel in his first year with the Suns has been adamant the team is good enough to win a championship, but Phoenix’s inconsistency is starting to become an issue that many believe will keep them from reaching its potential.
Along with issues of shot-making, or lack thereof, Vogel said the Suns suffered from a lack of “offensive toughness.”
“We got our a– kicked in the first half, so we got to be better,” he said.
The Suns play the LA Clippers on the second night of a back-to-back in Los Angeles on Wednesday. Phoenix trailed by as many as 31 in the first quarter, even though the Clippers were without their two best players, Kawhi Leonard (knee) and James Harden (foot).
Phoenix has struggled when opposing teams have been without their best player. The team’s last four losses came against the San Antonio Spurs without Victor Wembanyama, the Oklahoma City Thunder without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the New Orleans Pelicans without Brandon Ingram and the Clippers without Harden and Leonard.
The Suns move toward a Clippers game on the road.
“Yeah, it was tough,” Durant said. “In the second half, we saw the ball go in and that got our crowd and us going. We were able to get back into the game, cut it to seven after being down by almost 40 points. So, we just made more shots in the second half. We forced them to turn the ball over too, so we were able to get out in transition. That is the
formula for us right there. The first quarter sunk us, that is the reason we lost.”
Durant was asked about accountability within the Suns’ locker room for the losses.
Here was the crux of his answer.
“We’re not putting the blame on one player, we’re not putting the blame on anybody,” Durant said. “I guess that’s what the fans want to do, is place blame. I know people want us to place blame on one player or a coach, but we win or lose as a team.”
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