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Tag: Marcus Morris

  • Suns beat Clips 112-95, Paul 3rd NBA player with 11K assists

    Suns beat Clips 112-95, Paul 3rd NBA player with 11K assists

    LOS ANGELES — Devin Booker scored 35 points, Chris Paul became the third player in NBA history to reach 11,000 assists, and the Phoenix Suns beat the Los Angeles Clippers 112-95 on Sunday night.

    The Suns didn’t waste any time getting started on the blowout. They raced to an 11-0 lead from the opening tip and led by 20 points at halftime and again in the third.

    Marcus Morris scored 22 points, John Wall added 17 points and Paul George had 16 points in the Clippers’ home opener after winning their first two games on the road. Kawhi Leonard had 11 points and six rebounds in 21 minutes off the bench in his second game of the season.

    Paul assisted on the Suns’ first basket of the game, a 3-pointer by Booker. Paul followed with an alley-oop pass to Deandre Ayton, who dunked, to give him 11,000 assists.

    Paul joined John Stockton and Jason Kidd as the only players in NBA history with that many assists. Paul also became the first player in the league with 20,000 points and 11,000 assists.

    Stockton had 15,806 assists and Kidd, now coach of the Dallas Mavericks, had 12,091.

    Fittingly, Paul reached the mark against the Clippers, with whom he played for six seasons and is the franchise’s career assists leader.

    Paul finished with seven points, 11 assists and eight rebounds.

    Last season, the Clippers overcame deficits of at least 24 points four times.

    Not this time.

    The Clippers got no closer than 10 points on a 3-pointer by George late in the third. Booker and Cameron Payne scored to send the Suns into the fourth leading 86-72.

    The Clippers were called for offensive fouls on Luke Kennard and Ivica Zubac after getting within 12 early in the final quarter.

    Cam Johnson, former Clipper Landry Shamet and Booker hit consecutive 3-pointers that stretched the Suns’ lead to 99-81, sending the crowd to the exits.

    TIP-INS

    Suns: Shamet (left hip strain) and Johnson (right hip contusion) both returned.

    Clippers: Reggie Jackson remains limited by a groin injury. He was scoreless on 0-for-5 shooting. … George and Leonard walked to center court to address the fans before the game, with George doing all the talking. He said the team’s slogan is Why Not Us. “Let’s go get it this year,” George said.

    UP NEXT

    Suns: Host defending NBA champion Golden State on Tuesday to open a six-game homestand.

    Clippers: Play at Oklahoma City on Tuesday and Thursday in a two-game trip.

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    More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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  • Kawhi scores 14 in return, Clippers hold off Lakers 103-97

    Kawhi scores 14 in return, Clippers hold off Lakers 103-97

    LOS ANGELES — Kawhi Leonard had 14 points and seven rebounds in his first game in 16 months, and the Los Angeles Clippers opened a season of sky-high expectations with a 103-97 victory over the Lakers on Thursday night.

    Paul George scored 15 points and John Wall added 15 in his debut for the Clippers, who held on down the stretch to beat their more pedigreed Los Angeles rivals for the eighth consecutive time.

    Leonard came off the bench for the first time since 2013 and played 21 minutes in his first game since he tore a ligament in his right knee in a playoff game in June 2021. The two-time NBA Finals MVP decided to ease back in a temporary reserve role after missing all of last season while recovering from surgery.

    “My goal was to try to be great in my minutes,” Leonard said. “Have fun, obviously stay healthy and win the basketball game. We did that tonight. Just the first game, though. We’ve got a lot to go.”

    The Clippers’ high hopes for their first championship rest largely on Leonard’s ability to return to elite form. Leonard and George are healthy now alongside five-time All-Star Wall, who provided an immediate spark in his first NBA game in 18 months after sitting out last season in Houston.

    “I was turned up for sure,” Wall said of his return. “It felt great, I ain’t gonna lie. … We’ve got a new team, and it’s just going to take some time for us offensively with me (and Leonard) on a minutes restriction, but with due time, we’ll get there.”

    Anthony Davis scored 25 points despite reduced mobility after a mid-game fall, while LeBron James had 20 points and 10 rebounds in the 20th home opener of his career. Lonnie Walker scored 26 points in his Lakers home debut.

    The Lakers dropped to 0-2, but still rallied from two large deficits and kept it close into the final minute despite nightmare shooting performances from Russell Westbrook (0 for 11) and fellow point guards Patrick Beverley (1 for 7) and Kendrick Nunn (0 for 7) in their Lakers home debuts. The Lakers went 9 for 45 on 3-pointers overall.

    “We’re getting great looks, all our guys,” Davis said. “Continue to have confidence in yourself. Don’t let missed shots take away your confidence. Keep shooting. Be confident in your shot, and they’re going to fall.”

    The oft-injured Davis gave fans a fright when he crashed to the floor after being undercut in the third quarter. He returned a few minutes later and played through back pain.

    TIP-INS

    Clippers: Marcus Morris and Ivica Zubac scored 14 points apiece. Zubac added 17 rebounds, including six offensive boards.

    Lakers: This injury-plagued franchise already has four players sidelined, including G Dennis Schröder (thumb surgery) and C Thomas Bryant (thumb surgery).

    KAWHI BENCHED

    Leonard suggested the idea of coming off the bench until he feels fully up to speed. Leonard had started 447 consecutive regular season games and 100 playoff contests since Nov. 10. 2013, when he came off the bench for the Spurs in New York.

    Leonard indicated he’ll likely sit out one of the Clippers’ back-to-back games this weekend.

    RUSS NOT BENCHED

    Lakers coach Darvin Ham said he briefly spoke to Westbrook about the guard’s claim that coming off the bench possibly contributed to his preseason hamstring injury because he didn’t know how to warm up properly for a reserve role after spending the previous 13 years as an NBA starter. Ham said he and the Lakers “would in no way, shape or form put a player in harm’s way.”

    UP NEXT

    Clippers: At Kings on Saturday.

    Lakers: Host Trail Blazers on Sunday.

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    More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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