Devin Booker goes off for 47 points as Suns eliminate Clippers

PHOENIX — The Phoenix Suns have some flaws and perhaps they still haven't truly been tested but do they have a hellacious 1-2 punch.

Devin Booker and Kevin Durant hit the wounded LA Clippers with an unrelenting barrage of impact plays over the last 10 days, culminating with a narrow and thrilling 136-130 Game 5 victory Tuesday to close out the first-round series, 4-1.

When Booker wasn't drilling jumpers/slashing in transition/firing bullet passes/blocking shots/getting steals, it was Durant contributing smooth pull-ups/foul-drawing drives/needed rebounds.

Booker capped off a brilliant two-way series with 47 points, matching his playoff career high, on a slick 19-of-27 shooting. Durant added 31 points and scored the Suns' last six points in the final minute to seal the win.

The Clippers, playing without stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, collapsed a 20-point Suns lead down to just two with a 31-14 run in the fourth quarter but, as has been the story of their season, they didn't have enough.

The Booker/Durant apex came in a fearsome third quarter when they put up 38 combined points in a relentless transition attack as the Clippers went cold shooting and were just overwhelmed. Booker made 10 of 11 shots in the stretch, outscoring the Clippers 25-24 by himself. Durant made 4 of 6 as the Suns dropped 50 points in the quarter.

Russell Westbrook and Norman Powell, pressed into being the catalysts of the Clippers' offense, missed 10 straight shots.

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The Suns' two stars combined for a