Sam Cassell in Clippers take Game 4 against Suns
Monday, May 15th
Final Score: LA Clippers 114, Phoenix 107
Sam Cassell came up an assist short of a triple-double, and drained a huge three-pointer with 27 seconds remaining to lead a short-handed Los Angeles Clippers team past the Phoenix Suns, 114-107, in Game 4 of their Western Conference semifinal set at the Staples Center.
"I was feeling it a little bit, and I was getting my opportunities," said Cassell. "With Shawn Marion on me, my space is kind of tight. Once I get a smaller guy on me, it’s easier to get my shot off. It’s all about match-ups, Shawn is one of the best defenders in the league. It’s not easy trying to create a shot against his quickness. I was just trying to get my shot off as fast as possible."
Cassell poured in 28 points, pulled down 11 rebounds and dished out nine assists for the Clippers, who evened the series at two with Game 5 scheduled to be played in Phoenix on Tuesday.
Los Angeles toiled without the services of center Chris Kaman, who missed the game with a banged up right shoulder.
The Clippers led by eight points at the outset of the final frame and continued to hold Phoenix at arm's length in the opening minutes of the quarter. On top, 100-93, Los Angeles really put the pressure on the Suns with back-to-back three-pointers from Vladimir Radmanovic and Cassell.
Cassell's bomb, from deep in the right corner, put the Clippers up, 106-93, with 5:54 left in the game.
The Suns desperately tried to climb back in the game and closed to within one point with a 12-0 burst. Leandro Barbosa connected on a long three from the right wing and followed that with a driving layup to make it 106-105 with 1:12 on the clock.
Elton Brand finally stopped the bleeding with a turnaround jumper from just outside the lane to give the Clippers some breathing room, 108-105, with 55 ticks left.
After Tim Thomas came up empty on a three, Cassell busted his three with 27 seconds remaining, to put things away for Los Angeles, 111-105.
A pair of free throws by Cassell, with 13.3 ticks on the clock, sealed the deal for the Clippers.
Brand finished the game with 30 points, nine rebounds and eight assists for Los Angeles, while Corey Maggette had 18 points and a game-high 15 rebounds.
"We went with a bigger line-up all around and we hit the boards again," said Brand. "It's given us a big rebound disparity and we knocked down shots when we had to."
Radmanovic and Cuttino Mobley also reached double figures for the Clippers with 13 and 10 points, respectively.
"It was a close game for forty-eight minutes," said Radmanovic. "We just needed a little stretch where we could score and get some stops, and the best way to do that is to get a turnover. I think we did a good job tonight. We'll have to keep up with the good work."
Raja Bell tallied a playoff career-high 33 points for the Suns, who had won five of their previous six playoff games. Boris Diaw recorded 21 points, seven boards and eights assists for Phoenix, while Barbosa had 15 points off the bench.
"I thought we played well," said Suns coach Mike D'Antoni. "In the first, we just didn't’t make shots. Cassell hit a big shot down the stretch, but we still had a chance."
The Clippers held the NBA's reigning MVP, Steve Nash, to just eight points on 3-of-11 shooting.
"We double, triple-team him at times," said Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy. "We try not to triple-team him. We’d rather just double-team him but sometimes he’s just so good that he gets past the two guys and then the third guy comes in and that’s where he really hurts you. He finds guys and gets great looks and with our rotations, we're trying to get to people and get them off their spots."
The Suns roared out of the gate with nine of the game's first 11 points but the Clippers quickly settled in, weathered the early storm, and got back in the game. Cassell's three with a little under seven minutes to go in the opening frame gave Los Angeles its first lead of the contest, 17-16.
The Clippers then finished the stanza strongly and took a 33-28 edge after the first 12 minutes of action.
Los Angeles continued to play well in the second quarter and took its largest lead of the half, 61-51, when Shaun Livingston buried a jumper as time expired in the half.
The Clippers continued to play frontrunner in the third quarter. The Suns managed to close to within seven, 65-58, after a pair of Nash free throws early in the quarter, but that's as close as Phoenix would make it in the frame.
The Clippers took a 90-82 advantage heading to the fourth quarter.
Game Notes
The Suns were 10-of-36 from long range; the Clippers finished 5-for-16 from beyond-the-arc...The Clippers dominated the boards with a 55-37 advantage...This is the first time that these clubs have met in the postseason...The Suns have lost three of their last four Game 4s in the postseason.
Source: Vipsports
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