Suns are another puzzle Clippers need to figure out

The Phoenix Suns threw the first punch in the 2021 Western Conference finals and the Los Angeles Clippers took it right on the chin. 

After losing the series-opener to a phenomenal 40-point triple-double performance from Devin Bookers, it’s time for the Clippers to make the necessary adjustments. 

The four-seed of the West seems to love coming from behind in these playoffs. They were down 0-2 against the Dallas Mavericks, as well as the Utah Jazz. And in both series, they found a way to regroup, adjust, and win. They will have to do the same against a well-oiled machine like the Suns. 

"We just have to find a way to adjust,” said Paul George, who remains the focal point of LA with Kawhi Leonard sidelined indefinitely. "This is a different caliber team than the other two teams we faced. A little bit more guard play. We gotta figure out how to counter, which we will."

"We’ll figure out another game plan. As much as we wanted this one, I think this was just a good feel-out game and see adjustments. We’ve been great at adjustments. We’ve been great at playing better as the series goes on.”

When the Mavericks won the first two games on the road and had a huge lead in Game 3 in Dallas, the Clippers looked dead in the water. Luka Doncic was singlehandedly dismantling the defense with ease. The Clippers then made a few alterations to their tricks, big and small, that tired out the young Slovenian superstar. Coach Tyronn Lue tightened his rotation and that led to an all-time two-way showing from Leonard. 

Against the Jazz, the Clippers found a loophole. They went all out with their perimeter-oriented offense and forced the Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert into tough matchups. Terance Mann saw an opening and drove a knife straight into the Jazz. 

Coach Lue and his squad have a new puzzle to solve. 

The Suns, with or without Chris Paul, present a different challenge altogether. Coach Monty Williams and his squad have created a well-functioning ecosystem of basketball brilliance on both ends of the floor. They have had time to work on their schemes and philosophies all season long, and what we’re seeing now are the fruits of their labor. 

The Suns love the 3-ball and using the pick-and-roll with deathly precision. They add wrinkles upon wrinkles to their screens, working both the strong side and weak side, often confounding defenses especially with Paul as the decision-maker. Since Paul was out in Game 1, the Suns used a lot of Cameron Payne and E’Twaun Moore before eventually giving the wheel to Booker down the stretch.  

On the other end, the Suns use their incredible length by unleashing their versatile forwards Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, and Jae Crowder to be as disruptive as possible. On the surface, the Suns’ play is like a well-choreographed symphony. If you’re their opponent, it’ll probably feel like you’re trapped in purgatory. 

"I thought we played hard, we competed,” Lue said. "We had some good shots down the stretch that we didn’t make so give them credit. They made the shots, we didn’t, but I love our fight.”

Lue has had a knack for making tweaks into his lineup in the playoffs. Like what he did versus the Mavericks and the Jazz, he’ll experiment on what will work and what won’t, then adjust on the fly. 

In Game 1, Lue tested if he could go with size, allowing DeMarcus Cousins to run free against the second unit of the Suns with Dario Saric as his primary defender. It hurt them that Marcus Morris Sr. only played 21 minutes. After the game, Lue said he’s not sure yet of the status of his starter. 

Phoenix also ran LA off the floor with 16 fastbreak points. The Suns play with an intense pace that will attack from multiple angles in transition. Going back on defense will be a point of concern as the series goes forward. 

But the primary problem of the Clippers right now is Devin Booker. After Doncic and Mitchell, Booker is in the same conversation about greatness. 

Booker shredded the defense with his midrange game while also being the facilitator that allowed his teammates to get going. Just like in their previous series, the Clippers will have to decide what kind of defense they will employ against a high-level playmaker. 

"He’s a beast and we understand that. [We’ll] just look at the tape, look at the film, and just kinda go from there, but he did a good job of attacking," said Lue, as he also mentioned that they tried to give Booker different looks. 

Patrick Beverley and Rajon Rondo took a swing at defending Booker but it hardly mattered. With all the screening and switching that both teams use, it’s really hard for a single defender to stay attached to a star. Nonetheless, Lue can have the option of putting in a bigger body on Booker like Reggie Jackson, Mann, or even George just to slow him down. 

The Suns delivered the first blow. It’s time for the Clippers to throw the counterpunch. 

"I expect us to get better as the series goes. We’ve been great at it. There’s nothing to kinda panic over right now,” George said. “It’s a game of adjustments. We’ll figure out what we need to do better. But the good thing about it is we expect a long series and all they did was win one game."