Well, that was a little more like it.
Points in the paint: 62-48
Total Rebounds: 54-41
Offensive Rebounds: 13-6
The Clippers beat the Suns in all the categories they're supposed to, and therefore it didn't really matter that the Suns made 10 more threes (11-27 versus a pathetic 1-12).
I'd still like to see more shots for Elton (6-10, 15 points), and I'm not sure that we have to be so afraid of playing Kaman against Phoenix (although he did pick up 5 fouls in 22 minutes). But all in all, a nice defensive effort when it counted, and a significantly better flow to the offense. In the first two games, it seemed like there were 6 seconds on the shot clock by the time we got into any possession. There was none of that tonight.
Corey Maggette saved our bacon in the second quarter, after the Clippers had a sluggish start. He was absolutely terrific - 23 points (16 in the second quarter when the Clippers turned a 6 point deficit into a 13 point lead), 10-17 from the field, 12 rebounds, only 1 turnover. He was the only thing we had going for awhile, and he seemed to get Mobley and Cassell and Livingston started. He sat the first 10:30 of the game, and then played 31 of the next 37. Maybe we should have gone to him sooner?
More tomorrow.