Clips' Russell Westbrook overcomes poor shooting with clutch play

PHOENIX — After Russell Westbrook blocked Devin Booker's drive to the basket with 10 seconds remaining, the LA Clippers point guard unleashed a scream and a scowl.

On a night when Westbrook labored with his shot and went 3-for-19 from the field, he made up for all the misfires by doing a little bit of everything in a tightly contested fourth quarter against the Suns and delivering the full Russell Westbrook experience in Phoenix.

Westbrook hauled in 11 rebounds (five offensive), dished eight assists and disrupted Phoenix with three blocks and two steals to help Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers stun the Suns 115-110 and steal Game 1 of their first-round playoff series at Footprint Center on Sunday night.

The Clippers handed Kevin Durant his first defeat as a Sun despite Durant having 27 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds.

In his return to the playoffs since tearing an ACL in the second round in 2021, Leonard added to his sterling postseason reputation with 38 points, five rebounds and five assists to help the underdog Clippers win despite not having an injured Paul George, who is expected to miss the first round with a sprained right knee sprain, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported earlier Sunday.

Leonard scored 13 of his points in the fourth quarter, including drilling back-to-back 3-pointers to turn a one-point lead into a 106-101 advantage with two minutes remaining. He also found Eric Gordon open for a 3 when Leonard drew multiple Suns defenders to him in the paint to put the Suns down six.

The Clippers, though, couldn't have pulled this one out without Westbrook, who had a very eventful night.

At halftime, Westbrook took a shortcut from the Clippers locker room to the court through a club lounge area where fans were