Have The Los Angeles Clippers Figured Out The Phoenix Suns?
LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 24: LA Clippers guard Patrick Beverley (21) tips the ball from Phoenix Suns ... [+] guard Devin Booker (1) during the Phoenix Suns game versus the Los Angeles Clippers game 3 NBA Western Conference Finals game on June 24, 2021, at Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) Icon Sportswire via Getty Images  The Phoenix Suns were on the cusp of clinching their first NBA Finals appearance since 1993 on Monday night. Fans were ready to celebrate in the streets of Phoenix afterwards, officially cementing the Suns magical turnaround campaign. However, the Los Angeles Clippers had other plans as they marched into Phoenix Suns Arena and stole series momentum with a 116-102 win in Game 5. Ever since the Suns went up 2-0 in the Western Conference Finals, Los Angeles has looked like the better overall team. Sporting a plus-17 point differential in the series, the Clippers switch-heavy defense filled with tough, aggressive wings has agitated Phoenix. Quite honestly, the Suns offense looks completely out of rhythm. In Phoenixs three victories over Los Angeles, they needed career-best performances from Devin Booker (Game 1), Cameron Payne (Game 2), and Deandre Ayton (Game 4). In the Clippers wins, both by double-digits, they have seen Paul George and Reggie Jackson light up Phoenix like a Christmas tree. Theres more that meets the eye when it comes to how Los Angeles has swung the pendulum back into their favor heading into Wednesdays pivotal Game 6, though. The Clippers have fully adapted to the Suns style of play on offense. Similarly to how LA pulled off their comeback over the Utah Jazz in the Western Conference Semifinals, defensive versatility has become the key factor. When the Clippers have switched one-on-one matchups for Booker and Chris Paul, they tend to halt the offense and play isolation basketball. This plays right into Los Angeles favor, because it gets Phoenix away from their primary style of finding the best opportunities within the frame of the offense. With a pass-happy 0.5 system emphasizing ball movement, Phoenix torched Los Angeles during the first two games of the series. Over the last three matchups, Los Angeles threw their counter-punch landing with resounding success. Heres how the Suns total passes and assist-to-turnover ratio have looked over each game in the Western Conference Finals:  Game 1 = 251 passes; 4.4 AST/TO  Game 2 = 249 passes; 2.7 AST/TO  Game 3 = 237 passes; 2.2 AST/TO  Game 4 = 231 passes; 1.1 AST/TO  Game 5 = 244 passes; 1.6 AST/TO  As you can see, the Suns offensive efficiency has fallen off a cliff over the last three games. The difference is stark in the AST/TO department, but also in overall effectiveness as well. In games 1-2, Phoenix scored 120.4 points per 100 possessions while carrying a 61.2 true shooting percentage. Since then, the Suns are registering 97.9 points per 100 possessions on a paltry 49.0 true shooting percentage. The Suns are averaging only 92.7 points over their last three games. After LA adjusted following Booker and Paynes explosive games, Phoenixs offense has simply lacked creativity. The Suns get away from what works best far too often  what got them one win away from the NBA Finals in the first place  and are thrown off big-time by the Clippers switching and ramped-up aggressiveness. Another tweak LA made since falling into a 2-0 series hole, which has worked marvelously, is picking up primary ball handlers in full court situations. Contrary to popular belief, the Suns are actually playing at a slightly quicker pace than they did in the first two games of the series. Since Pauls return from the NBAs health and safety protocols due to a positive COVID-19 test, Phoenix is averaging 94.7 possessions per game. Without Paul, Phoenix tallied a pace of 93.3. It doesnt help that Paul is still shaking off the rust of missing the first two games of this series, which includes a well below-average 41.0 true shooting percentage, but they will need a vintage CP3 bounce-back performance to avoid the unthinkable. How the Clippers adjusted to defending Devin Booker following Game 1s dynamic triple-double performance with 40 points, 13 rebounds, and 11 assists, has been another key factor to the Suns losing their tight vice grip on this series. Los Angeles has an array of defenders who can give Booker fits. Whether it be the agitator in Patrick Beverley, plus bigger wings like George or Marcus Morris Sr., LA can throw multiple looks Bookers way to cause frustration and inefficiency. (It should also be noted Booker broke his nose in the second half of Game 2 when Beverley hit the Suns young superstar in the face. Bookers injury required two stitches while also being broken back into place. More often than not, these types of injuries require surgeries. Playing very other day with a Finals berth on the line, though, that wasnt an option for Booker and the Suns.) Below, the numbers show Booker has struggled mightily against the Clippers versatile defenders. The only player Booker consistently wins his matchup on is second-year wing Terance Mann, who was switched off Booker after being his primary assignment in Game 1:  Patrick Beverley = 6-of-21 (28.6%)  Marcus Morris = 6-of-21 (28.6%)  Terance Mann = 10-of-19 (52.6%)  Reggie Jackson = 5-of-12 (41.7%)  Paul George = 1-of-6 (16.7%)  Another avenue where the Clippers have made Booker work extra hard at an inefficient figure is drives to the rim. In the Western Conference Semifinals versus the Denver Nuggets, Booker consistently feasted on drive opportunities finishing 70 percent of those opportunities during Phoenixs 4-0 series sweep. The tables have officially turned against the Clippers as Booker is scoring only 39 percent of his drive attempts, which decreased in an eye-popping manner after the Suns went up 2-0:  Game 1 = 22 drives  Game 2 = 19 drives  Game 3 = 14 drives  Game 4 = 16 drives  Game 5 = 12 drives  Dropping Bookers average drives from 20.5 in the first two games to 14 over the last three is another notch in the belt to the Clippers successful defensive adjustments. If this trend continues, the Suns are in serious trouble. The Clippers defense has flipped the script against Phoenix. Now, the Suns must counter to avoid an epic 3-1 collapse on the doorstep of an NBA Finals appearance.