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The LA Clippers suffered a tough defeat against the Phoenix Suns in Game 4 of their NBA Western Conference Final series. Ty Lue's men now find themselves trailing by a 3-1 deficit and are just one game away from seeing their 2020-21 NBA season end.
The Clippers did not have the best of starts to the match as they were only able to accumulate 36 points on 29.5% shooting from the floor. They went into half-time trailing the Suns by 14 points but were still very much in the game.
The LA Clippers came out of half-time playing with a sense of urgency and were able to shoot the ball well. Their aggressive approach hyped up the home crowd and led many to believe they were about to tie the series 2-2 for the third-straight time in the 2021 NBA playoffs.
They outscored the Phoenix Suns 30-19 in the third quarter shooting 55% from the field. That led to the Clippers cutting a 16-point deficit to one with 10 minutes left for the game to end. From there on, it was the Clippers' game to lose. They missed all 12 of their game-tying or go-ahead shots down the stretch, shooting just 3-of-19 in the fourth overall, which saw them endure a four-point loss.
The LA Clippers now head to Arizona to play their season deciding game against the Phoenix Suns on Monday. All three of their losses so far have been by close margins, but there are some key improvements they will have to make to get over the line. On that note, we list five things the Clippers need to do to save their season and win Game 5.
#5 The LA Clippers need to shoot better from the free-throw line
One major difference between the two teams so far has been free-throw shooting. The Phoenix Suns have been much more efficient at it, converting 90.2% of their attempts from the charity stripe, while the LA Clippers are averaging just 75.3%.
On top of that, the LA Clippers tend to miss free throws at crucial junctures of the match. Game 2 and Game 4 were both affected by Paul George and the crew's inability to convert their free-throw attempts. The Clippers' combined margin of loss of both those matches is five points, and they missed a total of 17 free throws in those games.
The LA Clippers have made more attempts than their counterparts from the foul line and will need to try to get to the line again. However, they must take full advantage of it and convert those shots to have a healthy chance of winning.
#4 Limit Phoenix Suns' big Deandre Ayton
The LA Clippers will have to avoid playing a small ball lineup as it has troubled them against the Phoenix Suns, especially in Deandre Ayton's presence. They need to use more bodies to protect the paint against him, as he has hurt them the most with his offensive prowess in the opening stretches of a game.
Patrick Beverley has done a fantastic job of limiting Devin Booker, who saw Ayton become the aggressor for the Phoenix Suns and score quick points to give them an advantage early on. If the LA Clippers can shut Booker once again and Ayton as well, it will work wonders for them in Game 5.
The likes of Ivica Zubac and DeMarcus Cousins will have to be at their absolute best to compete and limit Ayton as much as possible to match his size for size.
#3 Grab defensive boards
The LA Clippers need to use their size against the Phoenix Suns to their advantage and deprive them of grabbing offensive boards in the match. So far, the Suns have been claiming a whopping 10.5 offensive boards per game and have used the extra possession to their advantage with much more efficiency.
The Phoenix Suns are undersized compared to the LA Clippers. They only have Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder and Deandre Ayton, who can match the size and strength of the Clippers, who have the likes of George, Zubac, and Batum.
#2 Attack the paint
The LA Clippers tend to settle for jump shots early on in the game, even if they are not able to convert. Yes, three-point shooting has been their biggest strength, but they must try to attack the interior defense of the Phoenix Suns more to have better opportunities to score.
They struggled to shoot the ball well in the first half of the last match and should have ideally attacked the paint to gain more scoring opportunities. They did that in the third quarter, though, and outscored the Suns 30-19. They also went to the foul-line 11 times in that period, three more times than the opening two quarters combined.
Despite finding success in the third quarter by being aggressive in the paint, the LA Clippers did not follow that scheme in the fourth quarter. As a result, they shot just 3-of-19 from the floor and went 0-for-12 with the opportunity to score a game-tying or go-ahead basket.
#1 Move the ball better on offense
The LA Clippers have one of the best offensive units in the league, which is also a major reason why they were able to topple the Utah Jazz despite the absence of Kawhi Leonard.
They had to move the ball more and create scoring opportunities for each other in rough patches during a game without him. They will have to try and do just that instead of rushing into making contested shots.
The LA Clippers are averaging just 18.5 assists per game compared to the Phoenix Suns' 23.5, something they should take into consideration during their next match. It will give them the added advantage of not letting the Suns' defense settle and allow them a better chance of making transition plays.
