Devin Booker nearly recorded his first regular-season triple-double as the Phoenix Suns defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 114–103 on Saturday night at Intuit Dome, improving to 5–5.
Booker finished with 21 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists, leading a balanced Suns effort that handed the Clippers (3–6) their fourth straight loss. The victory marked Phoenix’s second win over Los Angeles in three days and third meeting between the teams this season.
Mark Williams added 19 points on 7-of-9 shooting, while Dillon Brooks scored 16 for the Suns, who have won four of their last five. Phoenix maintained control throughout the fourth quarter, with Booker’s three-point play at the 2:59 mark extending the lead after the Clippers cut it to five.
Booker came close to a milestone he has missed for more than a decade — a triple-double in the regular season. His only one came in Game 1 of the 2021 Western Conference Finals, also against the Clippers.
Ivica Zubac had 21 points and 15 rebounds for Los Angeles, while John Collins contributed 19 off the bench. James Harden tallied 13 points and 13 assists but struggled from deep, hitting just two of 10 three-point attempts.
The Clippers played without Kawhi Leonard for the third consecutive game due to a sprained ankle, with head coach Tyronn Lue confirming he will miss several more. Harden returned after missing Thursday’s contest for personal reasons.
Bradley Beal scored 12 points against his former team despite briefly leaving in the first half with left hip soreness. The Clippers’ offense shot 53 percent from the field but were undone by turnovers and missed free throws, going 11 of 18 from the line.
Phoenix, meanwhile, shot 48 percent overall and 42 percent from beyond the arc. The Suns also outscored the Clippers 30–26 in the final period, closing out strong despite losing Jalen Green in the first quarter to a re-injury of his right hamstring. Green had scored 29 points in his Suns debut two nights earlier.
The Suns’ new-look rotation, featuring Booker, Williams, and Brooks, has found rhythm after a rough start. Their improved defense and timely shot-making have lifted them back to .500 after a 1–4 opening stretch.
Phoenix returns home to face the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday, while Los Angeles hosts the Atlanta Hawks, looking to halt its slide before a difficult stretch of Western Conference matchups.
