On October 24, Down by just 2, James Harden had a golden opportunity to send the game into double overtime after getting fouled. He made the first but botched the second. Nurkic then made both of his free throws to make it a 3-point advantage. The Clippers had one more chance to extend the game but Harden mishandled the inbound pass, letting the game slip away and handing Phoenix a thrilling 116-113 win.
Kevin Durant Leads the Suns to Victory
Kevin Durant spearheaded the Suns’ attack, putting up a commanding performance with 25 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 steals. Meanwhile, Bradley Beal was a model of efficiency, pouring in 24 points while shooting a deadly 4-of-6 from beyond the arc.
On the other hand, James Harden came close to a triple-double, stuffing the stat sheet with 29 points, 12 rebounds, and 8 assists. However, his 7 turnovers proved costly in key moments. Ivica Zubac was another bright spot for the Clippers, contributing 21 points and 9 rebounds, but his impact was cut short after fouling out in overtime.
After a tightly contested start, the Suns broke the game open with a 14-0 run in the second quarter, punctuated by a Devin Booker three-pointer. Moments later, Booker hit another from deep, stretching Phoenix’s lead to 14 points (45-31).
But the Clippers stormed back in the third quarter and eventually led by 6 points, thanks in large part to James Harden, who shook off his early struggles to erupt for 16 points during that stretch. However, Beal answered with a flurry of his own, scoring 7 quick points to make it a one-possession game heading into the fourth.
But the Clippers continued their attack, igniting a 14-5 run that allowed them to build their largest lead (91-81). Amir Coffey was a key contributor in that surge scoring 7 points. However, the Suns refused to back down. Devin Booker, in particular poured in 8 points to help trim the deficit to 6 (99-93). Phoenix then seized the lead when Kevin Durant was fouled while finishing a layup, putting the Suns ahead (101-99). In response, Harden netted the next four points for the Clippers, regaining control at 103-101. But Durant had other plans, sinking a tough shot to send the game into overtime.
