The Western Conference's fourth-seeded Phoenix Suns and fifth-seeded Los Angeles Clippers meet in the first round of the 2023 NBA playoffs. The Suns won their last playoff meeting in the 2021 conference finals.
in the embarrassing Game 7 loss to Luka Doncic and company, the NBA suspended Suns owner Robert Sarver for the entire year.
The Suns dealt All-Defensive wing Mikal Bridges, Johnson, Crowder and the rights to five first-round draft picks for the 34-year-old Durant, who was still recovering from another MCL sprain. The deal both stripped Phoenix's depth and sent their championship odds soaring, because Durant is that talented when healthy.
Leonard's costar, Paul George, played for a month, missed two weeks with soreness in his right hamstring and knee, played for two weeks, rested a sore left knee for a couple games, played a few more weeks, sat a handful of games to rest the right hamstring again, played for two months and sprained his right knee. He is expected to miss the start of the first round, although a mid-series comeback has not yet been ruled out.
The Clippers started 30 different lineups, practically one every other game, settling into the No. 5 seed and. I guess I all you really need to know is this: They were 20-24 without either Leonard or George this season , 24-14 with both of them , 8-10 with George and no Leonard and 9-5 with Leonard and no George .The Suns and Clippers tied their regular-season series, 2-2. If you are looking for context, there is none.
Williams might just ride the hot or hand or try his hand at everyone depending on his desperation. He might also bench Ayton again, weaponize Durant as a small-ball center and play multiple wings alongside him. That would require a pretty significant meltdown, which is never out of the realm of possibility in Phoenix.The Clippers have far more questions about their closing lineup. Leonard is probably the only guarantee.
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