The Los Angeles Clippers just convincingly defeated the second-best team in the NBA. Now they will look to knock off the best.
One night after notching a 119-104 triumph over the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles looks to parlay it into an impressive double-double when it visits the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night.
Monday’s victory was the second in a row for the Clippers and follows a three-game slide.
Terance Mann matched his regular-season career high of 25 points and also contributed seven rebounds and six assists. Mann was 11 of 17 from the field while topping 20 points for the second straight game. He had 21 in a 99-97 road win over the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday.
“The way that he works and the way he presents himself and the way he plays, you get to see the talent he displays,” Clippers guard Reggie Jackson said of Mann. “He played tremendous and really fueled us in getting this win.”
Jackson also had a solid outing with 19 points, nine assists and eight rebounds.
The Clippers haven’t had Kawhi Leonard (knee) this season and fellow star Paul George (elbow) has missed the last 27 games. Mann said the team is aiming to stay afloat as the injury situations shake themselves out.
“We had it happen to us last year also with guys in and out,” Mann said. “Reggie and I got our numbers called and we stepped up to the plate.”
Now the Clippers tackle the Suns, who have won five straight games and 16 of their past 17. Phoenix won its past two games by an average of 25.5 points, including a 131-107 beatdown of the Milwaukee Bucks, the team it lost to in last season’s NBA Finals.
Phoenix routed the Orlando Magic 132-105 on Saturday in its most recent contest. The Suns had 40 assists against just seven turnovers.
“That’s an unreal ratio,” Phoenix coach Monty Williams said. “But the ability and the will to turn down a decent shot or a good shot for a great shot, that’s who we are. That’s our DNA. That’s who we have to be if we want to do something really, really special, which we believe we can.”
The Suns’ goal is not just to get back to the NBA Finals, but to win this time.
They made their roster deeper at the trade deadline by reacquiring Torrey Craig from the Indiana Pacers to bolster the frontcourt and landing Aaron Holiday from the Washington Wizards to give a boost to the backcourt. Craig was part of Phoenix’s NBA Finals squad last season.
Both players scored in double digits against Orlando. Craig scored 14 points in 23 minutes and Holiday had 10 in just nine minutes.
Williams was impressed with Holiday, who was 4 of 5 from the field, including 2 of 3 from 3-point range.
“It was just one game, but looking at his body of work since he got in the league, he’s a guy that can guard the ball, he can move his feet, but he’s not afraid to shoot, and he’s not afraid to score,” Williams said.
Nine Suns scored in double figures, led by Devin Booker’s 26 points. Chris Paul had 10 points and 15 assists and is averaging 13.9 assists over the past nine games.
The teams split two meetings earlier this season. The Clippers recorded a 111-95 home victory on Dec. 13, and Phoenix posted a 106-89 home win on Jan. 6.
