NBA Game Notes (April 20, 2023)

Here are the NBA game notes for games that were played on April 20, 2023.

Suns Outshine Clippers

The Phoenix Suns scored 75 second-half points on their way to a 129-124 win over the Kawhi Leonard-less LA Clippers in Game 3 of their Western Conference First Round series. The Suns lead the series 2-1, with Game 4 in Los Angeles on Saturday.

The Suns’ 75 second-half points are the second most in a second half in franchise history, trailing only the 76 points they scored on May 2, 1989 versus the Denver Nuggets. The Clippers scored 73 points in the second half, making this just the sixth playoff game in NBA history in which both teams scored at least 70 points in the second half (and the first since May 7 ,1992).

Devin Booker led the Suns, scoring a game-high 45 points. Booker shot 18-29 from the field — including 3-7 from 3-point range — and made six of his seven free throws. It’s the fifth time he’s scored at least 40 points in a playoff game, tying Charles Barkley for the most such games in franchise history.

Booker became just the third guard in NBA history to score at least 35 points on 60% shooting from the field in back-to-back playoff games:

• Reggie Miller (May 4 & 6, 2000)

• Jamal Murray (Aug. 25 & 30, 2020)

• Devin Booker (April 18 & 20, 2023)

Booker’s 83 points over his last two games are the most over a two-game playoff span in franchise history.

Teammate Kevin Durant scored 28 points, shooting 8-15 from the floor and 11-11 from the foul line. It’s the 11th time Durant has made at least 10 free throws in a playoff game without a miss, tied for the second-most such games in NBA history:

• 13 — Dirk Nowitzki

• 11 — Larry Bird

• 11 — Chauncey Billups

• 11 — Kevin Durant

With Leonard out, Clippers sixth man Norman Powell moved into the starting lineup. Powell delivered, pouring in a team-high 42 points, the first time he’s scored 30 or more points in a playoff game. Powell shot 15-23 from the field — including 7-12 from 3-point range — and made five of his seven free throws.

Booker and Powell are the 26th pair of opposing players in NBA history to each score at least 40 points in the same playoff game. It’s just the second time both players shot at least 60% from the field. The first such occurrence came on April 22, 1984, when the New York Knicks’ Bernard King and Detroit Pistons’ Kelly Tripucka accomplished the feat.

Backcourt mate Russell Westbrook scored 30 points, adding team highs of 12 assists, eight rebounds (tied), and three steals. Westbrook scored 21 of his points in the second half, including 15 in the third quarter.