The Clippers showcased a valiant effort against the Suns in Game 3, despite being down their two stars—Paul George and Kawhi Leonard—in a 129–124 loss on Thursday night.
Prior to Leonard being ruled out for Game 3, the Clippers star had been a catalyst for the franchise’s confidence and the key reason that many envisioned a deep postseason run for the team. Leonard averaged 34.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and six assists through the first two games of the first-round series.
Down 2–1 in the best-of-seven series, Los Angeles will seek to steal Game 4 in the friendly confines of Crypto.com Arena. However, the Clippers will be without George and Leonard could be sidelined from Saturday’s matchup, something that prompted a classic take from ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith on First Take on Friday.