Sports
NBA Playoffs: Phoenix Suns Rout Clippers, Advance To NBA Finals
The Phoenix Suns advanced to the franchise's 1st NBA Finals since 1993 Wednesday, beating the Los Angeles Clippers, 130-103, in Game 6.
PHOENIX, AZ — The Phoenix Suns accomplished a feat 28 years in the making under the bright lights of L.A.'s Staples Center Wednesday night.
The visiting Suns, thanks to the steely leadership of veteran guard Chris Paul and the timely scoring of young core players like forward Deandre Ayton, routed the hometown Clippers, 130-103.
The victory clinched the Suns first appearance in the NBA Finals since 1993, becoming the first NBA team to make it to the finals after missing the postseason for 10 seasons or more in the process.
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Paul, who finished the night with a game-high 41 points, called Wednesday's one-sided victory a feat well worth the wait.
“I was on a don't-lose mission,” Paul said. “Just a lot of emotion. A lot of (things) going on.”
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It'll be Paul's first ever appearance in the finals in his 16th season in the league, after appearing in more than 100 playoff games with the New Orleans Hornets, Clippers, Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder and the Suns.
For Suns head coach Monty Williams, watching Paul finally reach the sport's biggest stage has been a joy in and of itself.
Williams could be seen late in Wednesday's series-clinching victory clutching Paul and Booker, embracing the moment at hand.
He heaped praise on Paul's ability to push through adversity and achieve such a feat at this point in his career.
“He was tired,” Suns coach Monty Williams said of Paul. "He was still making those kind of plays, getting to the basket, 3's, orchestrating everything.
“He has persevered through a lot — injuries, playoff heartbreak.”
Looking forward
The Suns will face off in the NBA Finals against either the Atlanta Hawks or Milwaukee Bucks.
Phoenix beat the Bucks in each of the teams' two contests during the regular season and split their two games against the Heat.
The schedule for the series will be set once the Eastern Conference finals wraps up, though the Suns will have home court advantage during the finals.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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