Devin Booker drops 45; leads Suns past Westbrook and Clippers

LOS ANGELES, CA - Devin Booker was a flamethrower all night, and he needed to be with Kevin Durant being draped with defenders all night. Booker would get the job done as he dropped 45 as the Suns beat the Clippers 129-124 in Game 3 in the first round of the Western Conference of the NBA Playoffs.

In addition to Devin Booker's 45, Kevin Durant added on 28 points. Booker and Durant lead Phoenix as they beat the Westbrook-led Los Angeles Clippers 129-124 on Thursday night in Game 3 to take a 2-1 lead in the Western Conference first round playoff series.

Durant spoke after the game on Booker's spectacular night, “He set the tone, got to the rim, making plays for others, just controlling the whole game,” Durant said of Booker. “We’re going to need him to do that going forward.”

Kawhi Leonard after scoring a combined 69 points in n the first two games he was ruled out of Game 3 with Knee sprain. The same knee that left him sidelined for almost 22 months with an ACL tear. Paul George fell victim to the same injury earlier in the season. Kawhi had been hurt in Game's 1 & 2 but decided to play through it, it was not until afterwards that Kawhi's durability for Game 3 would not improve.

Devin Booker spoke on the Clippers' effort and Game 3 post-game.

“Those are those trick games, where you think somebody is missing one of their top players and you let off the gas a little bit,” Booker said. “They played their (rear ends) off tonight. The whole team was prepared for that so we didn’t take a step back.”

The Clippers were lead their stars in Game 3. Russell Westbrook and Norman Powell, combined for 72 point in Game 3. Westbrook dropped 30 points and 11 rebounds, while Norman Powell hit a playoff career-high 42 points on 15-23 from the field.

Phoenix Suns superstar, Devin Booker who tallied a game high 44 minutes, shot 18-29 from the field while dropping 45 in the Game 3 win, Booker also added even rebounds, three steals and two block. Booker has scored a combined 83 points in the last 2 games.

Booker spoke about the workload and the game during the post-game.

“If it was up to me, I wouldn’t have been out those 12 minutes. My body feels good,” Booker said. "I dedicate my whole entire life to this sport and this game. When you have it going like that on the big stage, there’s nothing else you can ask for.”

With Kawhi being out with a knee sprain, Westbrook and Powell kept it close for the Clippers. No team lead more than 6 throughout Game 3.

Game 3 was not pretty for either team as well, the suns would shoot 46 free throws which would not help Los Angeles. Late in the 4th quarter Westbrook grabbed a rebound and was fouled, a foul which was not called. At the time in the game there was 2:36 left and the Clippers were down by 7. A call that would prove to be decisive, and all but decide the game.

Shortly after the missed call, Los Angeles would get within reach of Phoenix thanks to two free throws by Westbrook with 1:44 remaining. Phoenix would follow with a 6-0 run. In response to the run, Norman Powell would hit a 3, and the game would be 125-120.

125-120 was the closes that the Clippers would get at the end of the game, losing 129-124. Falling down 2-1 in the western conference first round playoff series.

Despite the valiant effort from the former UCLA stars in Westbrook and Powell, The Clippers would fall victim to the Suns 3-headed snake in Game 3. The Clippers notably missed Kawhi Leonard's production, who scored 38 in Game 1 and 31 in Game 2. Despite 30 from Russell Westbrook and 42 from Norman Powell, The Clippers would fall to Booker and Durant in Game 3.

The Clippers will look to get back in the series and even the series up two a piece during game 4 in Los Angeles. The Clippers will be without Kawhi Leonard once again as his knee condition has still not improved. The Clippers will look back to Westbrook and Powell to lead the to the victory against Phoenix. Game 4 of the series will be Saturday, 3:30 on Live on TNT.