The Los Angeles Clippers lost Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals against the Phoenix Suns because of some worrying deficiencies.
The 2021 Western Conference Finals opened with a competitive battle between the Suns and the Clippers.
Unfortunately for Paul George and Los Angeles, Phoenix grabbed Game 1, 120-114.
The Clippers are no strangers to going down early in a series. In fact, they’ve been down 2-0 in each of the first two series they’ve won. So, it’s definitely not time to hit the panic button just yet.
However, the Suns did shine light on some major issues Tyron Lue and company need to sort out if they want to deliver another comeback.
Three Clippers flaws exposed by the Suns in Game 1
No answer for Devin Booker
Luka Doncic torched the Clippers in the first round and Donovan Mitchell in the second. Now they’ve got a load on their hands with Devin Booker.
The Suns’ guard was unstoppable in Game 1. He posted a triple-double with 40 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists. His performance set the tone for the series. After being snubbed on All-NBA teams, he’s not holding anything back.
LA had no answer for Booker. Terrance Mann had trouble defending him. Rajon Rondo definitely didn’t get the job done.
It’s not that the Clippers need to shut Booker down. They’re simply not going to do that. He’s averaging 27.9 points in the postseason so far. However, when the game is still close going into the fourth quarter, Lue has to find someone more dependable to keep him from going off.