The Phoenix Suns Make The NBA Finals 2021

It’s been almost three decades, but the Phoenix Suns are heading back to the NBA Finals 2021.

Chris Paul scored 41 points on 16 of 24 shooting from the field, Devin Booker added 22, and the Suns beat the Los Angeles Clippers 130-103 on Wednesday to advance to the championship round for the first time since the 1992-93 season, when they lost to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in six games. For Paul, who is in his 16th season, the victory provided vindication and helped ease the sting of a past littered with playoff failures, including being part of a Clipper team that blew a 3-1 lead to the Houston Rockets in 2015. He will be making his first finals appearance and hopes to help deliver Phoenix its first NBA title. “I was on a don’t lose mission,” he said. “Just a lot of emotion. A lot of things going on.”

Paul scored 31 of his 41 points in the second half, including 8 straight after the Clippers went on a 10-0 run that brought them to within seven of the Suns. “Phoenix did a hell of a job,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. “CP was fantastic.”

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The Clippers, who overcame 2-0 deficits in the first two rounds of the playoffs, were not able to complete the task for a third time, as a right knee injury to Kawhi Leonard left them short on firepower. Leonard, who has been out since leaving game 4 of the conference semifinals against the Utah Jazz, also left a huge hole for Los Angeles on the defensive side of the ball, and Phoenix continuously capitalized, especially from three-point range. The Suns shot 54.8% (17-31) from behind the arc.

“I thought we ran out of gas,” Lue said. “For that fist half, we made a lot of mistakes mentally. That tells you guys are tired.” As the Clippers grew frustrated, things got heated, and culminated with Patrick Beverley shoving Paul in the back, sending him spiraling to the hardwood. He was promptly ejected.

Beverley took to Twitter on Thursday to issue an apology. “@CP3 emotions got the best of me last night gang. My bad wasn’t meant for you. Congrats on making it to the finals. Best of luck.” The Suns await the winner of the Milwaukee Bucks – Atlanta Hawks series, which is currently tied at two game apiece. The Finals are slated to begin Thursday, July 8 in Phoenix.