Suns eliminate Clippers, who rally late before losing Game 5

Heads down, walking past fans in free orange T-shirts, the Clippers retreated to their locker room underneath Footprint Center’s stands knowing precisely where their season ended.

Then they boarded a short flight to Los Angeles to begin a long offseason. It will be reserved for pinpointing how, exactly, this season’s championship aspirations went awry long before Tuesday’s final game.

With Kawhi Leonard and Paul George healthy, the Clippers began this season with hopes of establishing a franchise “first” — advancing to its first NBA Finals, and claiming its first championship. But with sprained right knees sidelining George the entire postseason and Leonard the last three games of this series, the Clippers could not advance past even the first round, losing 136-130 in Game 5 to the Suns.

The Clippers’ resolve was unquestioned — but so were their limitations while unable to ultimately match Phoenix’s combination of star power and shot-making.

It was not always evident Tuesday would mark the end. The Clippers led by nine at halftime, dulling the energy of a crowd anticipating a celebration for advancing to the second round. But during the final 8 minutes and 8 seconds of the third quarter the Suns made 14 of their next 19 shots in a stunning display of offensive efficiency while the Clippers shot four for 15, an eight-minute run that saw the Clippers outscored by 24.

Phoenix became only the fourth team in NBA history to score 50 points in a playoff quarter. Put another way: Suns guard Devin Booker outscored the Clippers in the quarter, 25-24.

Trailing by as many as 20 points in the fourth quarter, the Clippers fought instead of folding. They found their defense and made six three-pointers on looks they’d clanked in the first three quarters, pulling to within 132-130 with only 70 seconds remaining.

It was their gutsiest effort of the season — and it was undone, for a final time, but the kind of live-ball turnovers that had haunted them throughout the postseason, that saw double-digit leads evaporate in previous games, and with them, a chance to steal a series.

Guard Norman Powell lost his dribble with 1:02 left and Kevin Durant answered with a layup for a four-point lead. Out of a timeout, Russell Westbrook turned the ball over out of bounds on a drive down the lane, and Durant responded with free throws on the Suns’ ensuing possession, the lead six, the rally ended.

Booker scored 47 and had 10 assists for the Suns, who advance to face Denver.

Powell scored 27 to lead the Clippers, whose second unit sparked the late comeback. Mason Plumlee had 20 points and 10 rebounds, Nicolas Batum had 19 points while making five of eight from deep, and Terance Mann and Bones Hyland combined for 19 points off the bench.

Westbook finished with 14 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, but made only three of 18 shots from the field. Ivica Zubac had 16 points and 10 rebounds.