The Phoenix Suns beat Kawhi and the Los Angeles Clippers at home

Humberto Arredondo

Phoenix Suns backdrop-media

Humberto Arredondo, Reporter

The Phoenix Suns stunned the Los Angeles Clippers Saturday night, handing the Clippers their first loss of the 2019-2020 season 130-122.

A day earlier, the Suns lost to the Denver Nuggets in their first back-to-back and suffered a tough loss in OT falling short by one point against the league’s projected first seed in the Western Conference.

By Saturday, the Suns, despite their loss to Denver and losing their starting center for a 25-game suspension, they rallied and upset the Clippers—a favorite in preseason championship talk.

Devin Booker led the team in scoring with 30 points, 16 of those coming in the fourth quarter and followed by Suns forward Kelly Oubre Jr. with 20.

It was tied at 55 at halftime when the Suns drove to a 91-85 lead after three quarters and after Frank Kaminskey and Jevon Carter united for 17 points.

Booker went toe to toe against Clippers guard Patrick Beverly, notoriously known around the league as a great defender. Not intimidated by the barbs, Booker ended up fouling Beverly out with 6:01 left in the game.

Booker and Beverly had been battling all night and jawing at each other after possessions.

Clippers backup center Montrezl Harrel led Los Angeles in scoring with 28 points off the bench, followed by Kawhi Leonard with 27 points.

“We had no business winning the game tonight,” said Doc Rivers, the Clippers’ coach. “They just played so much harder. They were so much more committed to what they were doing.”

The Suns are at 2-1 after their defeat of the Clippers and are looking forward to doing more of the same in a new season.

”It feels amazing,” Oubre said. ”Everybody chipped in. We fought through adversity once again, we’re finding who we are and we’re continuing to grow. That’s the most beautiful thing about it.”