Booker brings the heat as sizzling Suns tie series

PHOENIX — Kevin Durant is the shiny new toy for the Phoenix Suns. Devin Booker is still the team's heart and soul.

Booker — the three-time All-Star who has spent all eight of his NBA seasons in Phoenix — scored 38 points, Durant added 25 and the Suns beat the Los Angeles Clippers 123-109 on Tuesday night in Game 2 to tie the Western Conference firstround series.

"He's an all-around player," Durant said of Booker. "He can do everything at an elite level on a basketball court."

The Suns needed a gritty effort after a disappointing loss in Game 1.Their shots weren't falling for much of the first half and they fell into a 13-point hole midway through the second quarter.

But led by Booker, they never panicked.

The 26-year-old drilled a 3 just before the halftime buzzer to tie it and scored 18 points in the third quarter on 7-of-8 shooting, helping the Suns push to a 92-87 advantage entering the fourth. The defense also improved after the Clippers got several easy baskets in the second quarter.

"People talk about adjustments all the time and we make them," Suns coach Monty Williams said. "But sometimes basketball is just being able to sit down and guard the ball, keep your man from getting to the basket and contesting the shot."

Phoenix never trailed in the final quarter, slowly pulling away. It was their first playoff win with Durant on the floor. The team was 8-0 during the regular season with the 13-time All-Star following his trade from the Brooklyn Nets in February.

The series moves to Los Angeles for Game 3 on Thursday night.

Kawhi Leonard led the Clippers with 31 points after he scored 38 in Game 1. Russell Westbrook added 28 points on 9-of-16 shooting.

"We know it is going to be a tough series," Westbrook said. "They came back and took care of business tonight."

Booker had a stellar shooting night, connecting on 14 of 22 shots, including 4 of 7 on 3s. He added nine assists. Deandre Ayton added 14 points — on 7-of-10 shooting — and 13 rebounds. Torrey Craig hit 5 of 8 3s and had 17 points, and Chris Paul had 16 points and eight assists.

"We tried to blitz. We tried to fire. We did a lot of different things," Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. "They played great."

Ref feud

Paul's archnemesis was carrying a whistle on Tuesday, not dribbling a basketball.

Before Tuesday's game, the point guard had lost 13 consecutive playoff games when referee Scott Foster has been on the floor. The long-running feud has lasted years, with Paul criticizing Foster multiple times.

"I didn't notice," Paul said. "I think we're all about, in this run, minimizing distractions. That is what it is, I'm sure it'll still be a thing."

Switching defenses

Several Suns players credited the Clippers coaches and players for their unpredictable defensive sets, which they said were part of the reason for the team's slow start.

"They switched their defense up like every possession," Durant said. "They might double, they might triple, they might go zone, they might go full-court press. So they're trying to throw us off with their coverages. I think we did a good job of (eventually) figuring it out."

Green banned

Meanwhile, Golden State forward Draymond Green has been suspended for one game without pay for stepping on the chest of Sacramento's Domantas Sabonis and will miss Game 3 of the Warriors' first-round playoff series Thursday night.

The NBA made the announcement late Tuesday, two days before the series shifts to the defending champions' home court at Chase Center.

"The suspension was based in part on Green's history of unsportsmanlike acts," the release said.

Golden State trailed the best-of-seven series 2-0, the first time during the Stephen Curry era that the Warriors have been down by two games in their last 28 playoff series.

In the fourth quarter of the Kings'114-106 Game 2 win Monday night, Green stomped on the chest of Sabonis after Curry grabbed a defensive rebound.

With the Warriors pushing the ball up court and Sabonis on the ground, Green took a hard step on Sabonis, who stayed down for several minutes as officials reviewed the play.

Sabonis was called for a technical foul for grabbing Green's leg and Green was given a flagrant-2 foul that led to an automatic ejection.

"I have to land my foot somewhere," Green said of the incident. "I'm not the most flexible person, so it's not stretching that far."

Agencies via Xinhua