The Los Angeles Clippers came incredibly near to night their series against the Phoenix Suns however just couldnt pull it out. After Paul George missed 2 free throws with just 8 seconds staying to keep the Clippers lead at one, the Suns kept the ball after their missed game-winner effort went out of bounds off of the Clippers. With just 0.9 seconds remaining, the Suns prepared an ideal lob pass to Deandre Ayton, who soaked it house for the win. With Chris Paul out of the lineup yet again, the Suns got big-time efficiencies from Cam Payne in addition to he led all scorers with a game-high 29 points while Ayton gathered 22 points and 14 rebounds of his own with Devin Booker likewise contributing 20 points. On the other side, Paul George led the Clippers with 26 points however he needed to attempt 23 shots to reach that overall. Not precisely the most effective efficiency from Los Angeles only All-Star in the lineup. In the end, it wasnt enough to do the job. Following the loss, the Clippers now trail 0-2 for the third time this postseason. These two teams will meet once again on Thursday night with the opening tip scheduled for 9 p.m. ET..

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The Los Angeles Clippers came extremely close to evening their series versus the Phoenix Suns however simply could not pull it out. After Paul George missed two totally free throws with only 8 seconds remaining to keep the Clippers lead at one, the Suns kept the ball after their missed out on game-winner attempt went out of bounds off of the Clippers. The Clippers have played every other day because then, making tonights loss their 11th video game in 21 days. The Clippers came close to winning both of these video games in Phoenix. Must the Clippers go small again?The Clippers seemingly went away from their small-ball lineups, using either Ivica Zubac or DeMarcus Cousins at center for 38 of a possible 48 minutes.

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Here are 3 takeaways from Tuesday nights game.1. Free throw folliesBefore Paul George stepped to the nasty line with 8.2 seconds remaining and a chance to offer the Clippers a one-point lead, he had actually currently missed out on 3 complimentary throws. That was extremely out of character for him. George shot nearly 87 percent at the line this season. He didnt miss his 5th totally free throw of the routine season until his 11th game. But after missing those 2 important freebies in the final moments of Game 2, he closed the night a frustrating 5-of-10 at the line. In a one-point loss, any among those shots could have sent this video game to overtime. 2 wouldve won it for them. As soon as again state that he isnt clutch, there are undoubtedly going to be those that point to Georges doubtful postseason history and. Heres another explanation: he was tired. George played 41 minutes in Game 2. He has actually averaged over 41 minutes given that Game 5 of the Dallas series. The Clippers have actually played every other day ever since, making tonights loss their 11th game in 21 days. His struggles throughout the night support the theory that he was tired. He shot only 10-of-23 from the field, and in the playoffs so far, he has actually shot almost 88 percent from the line in 4th quarters. The misses themselves were ugly, however that does not always have to show on Georges total postseason resume. However if the Clippers lose this series, and its starting to appear like they will, theyre going to review this is as the minute that it took place. Chris Paul missed both video games in Phoenix. Devin Booker struggled all night and missed out on a considerable piece of the second half after getting headhunted by Patrick Beverley. This was a golden chance to take control of the series, and the Clippers lost it at the nasty line. This series isnt over. The Clippers have proven twice that theyre capable of overcoming 2-0 deficits. However take a look at it this way: they basically now have to beat the Suns five out of seven shots, if you take a look at this video game as one they must have won. The chances of them doing so with Chris Paul most likely coming back and Kawhi Leonards status uncertain appear very, very slim.2. A Payneful lossGame 1 belonged to Devin Booker. Game 2 came from Cameron Payne. With Booker shooting an underwhelming 5-of-16 from the field and missing out on those second-half minutes, it was Payne that stepped up with a career-high 29 points on 12-of-24 shooting. Inside of the arc, he shot 10-of-16 on the night. The Clippers played big many of the night, and as an outcome, they utilized primarily drop protection versus ball screens. The risk in doing so is that the Suns are so excellent from mid-range that if Ivica Zubac or DeMarcus Cousins are falling back to the basket, the Suns have a window on the flooring in which theyll usually have the ability to get excellent looks because the guards original defender is stuck playing catchup on the screen. Payne did simply that, tossing up a variety of floaters, bank shots and scoops to kill the Clippers when they dropped, however he was more than efficient in racing around the huge men when they didnt. Payne, a minimum salary backup who was in the G League as recently as last season, is all of a sudden a three-level scorer capable of playing starter-caliber minutes with Paul out. Thats what Phoenix has constructed. It isnt simply the stars. Its an entirely complimentary lineup filled with gamers who can take control of video games for brief stretches. When Booker went down, Cam Johnson stepped up. He made all 5 of his shots in Game 2. ETwaun Moore provided the Suns practical backup minutes. Yes, Paul is Phoenixs best gamer, but what makes this Suns team unique is that its deep enough to complete even without him. The Clippers came close to winning both of these games in Phoenix. They lost due to the fact that the Suns had more players they might trust. 3. Should the Clippers go small again?The Clippers relatively went away from their small-ball lineups, utilizing either Ivica Zubac or DeMarcus Cousins at center for 38 of a possible 48 minutes. The logic likely originated from a fear of Deandre Ayton. Well, Ayton shot 12-of-15 from the field even versus the smaller sized Clippers. Theres very little more he might have done against them no matter who was safeguarding him. The advantages of playing huge were lessened. The Clippers made seven fewer 3-pointers in Game 2 than they did in Game 1 when they played big more frequently. This isnt a simple computation. Getting rid of a huge man also makes it difficult for the Clippers to secure the basket against Phoenixs guards. With Kawhi Leonard out, their defense versus dribble penetration was currently suspect. Zubac had 11 rebounds. Having a garbageman near the basket can develop simple points. But Batum has actually been arguably the third-best Clipper this postseason, and he played only 16 minutes in this video game. That has to alter. Whether theyre going little or not, they need to do a much better job of assigning their minutes to their finest gamers. They used 10 different gamers in Game 2. That must be down to 7 or 8 in Game 3..

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