JAKARTA – Chris Paul scored 31 points of his 41 point total in the second half to lead the Phoenix Suns to a 130-103 victory over host Los Angeles Clippers in Game 6 of the West Region Finals on Wednesday night local time for the first time in 28 years to reach the NBA Finals.
Paul made 7 of 8 3s and 16 of 24 shots to slaughter his former team. He also had eight assists and three steals to lead the Suns West in six games.
Devin Booker had 22 points, Jae Crowder had 19 points and Deandre Ayton had 16 points plus 17 rebounds for the second-seeded Suns.
The @Suns win Game 6, defeat LAC 4-2 in the #NBAWCF presented by AT&T and advance to the #NBAFinals presented by YouTube TV for the first time since 1993! #ThatsGame pic.twitter.com/mOcPjfXmSN
– NBA (@NBA) July 1, 2021
Marcus Morris Sr. had 26 points and nine rebounds, while Paul George had 21 points for the Clippers, who are fourth in the system. Patrick Beverley was sent off at 5 minutes and 49 seconds for pushing Paul onto the field.
LA Clippers star Kawhi Leonard, who suffered a knee injury, missed eight straight games, while teammate Ivica Zubac, who also suffered a knee injury, retired for the second time.
Cameron Johnson was absent for the Phoenix Suns, who had 17 of 31 triples and a 56.4 percent shooting from the field.
Previously, the Suns had reached the NBA Finals twice and both failed after being defeated by the Boston Celtics in 1976 and the Chicago Bulls in 1993. The two NBA Finals games lasted six games.
Phoenix hadn’t played a playoff since 2010 before the season, including a win over the Los Angeles Lakers, the Denver Nuggets, before being 10th in the playoffs.
Los Angeles outscored by six points early in the third quarter before Phoenix scored 21 of its next 31 points to go 89-72 thanks to a quick break from Mikal Bridges with 4 minutes and 1 second remaining in the period.
The Clippers responded with 10 consecutive points that closed with two 3s from Morris and Nicolas Batum to close the gap to seven points with 1 minute and 43 seconds remaining.
Paul followed up with eight straight points that gave the Suns a 15-point lead before taking a 97-83 lead late in the final period.
Paul continued his prolific streak with three consecutive starts in the fourth quarter, scoring 19 points in the fourth to hold Phoenix’s lead at 105-85 in the final 9 minutes and 39 seconds. When the Clippers reduced the deficit to 15 points, Paul scored a total of four points to make it 111-92 with 7 minutes and 42 seconds remaining.
Ayton followed with a driving shot before Paul scored two points and a triple to keep the margin at 26 points with 5 minutes and 49 seconds remaining. Paul then converted again to make it 119-92, and Phoenix closed the game with a convincing victory.
Devin Booker ON THE ATTACK! ???? @ Suns [email protected] 67Game 6 on ESPN pic.twitter.com/f5ceAlUpv9
– NBA (@NBA) July 1, 2021
Reggie Jackson scored 13 points, DeMarcus Cousins added 12 points and Beverley scored 11 points for Los Angeles, which was 41.8 percent shooting and 12-of-39 shooting.
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