Regular Suns standouts Devin Booker and Chris Paul played their usual major roles in eliminating the Lakers from the playoffs, but Jae Crowder also came up big in the deciding Game 6.
Crowder scored 18 points, all on 3-pointers, including a few of which thwarted the Lakers’ attempts at one final run. Phoenix will probably need similar performances in the second round vs. the Nuggets.
And Crowder stressed he can offer more than just perimeter shooting.
“I feel like what I bring to a team is more than just shot making,” he told reporters. “That definitely is a plus that I bring, but at the same time, I’m a leader. So I just wanted to continue to put that fight in the guys, and let them know that we come here to play, we come here to win. We’ve come here to take over this series.”
More from the West
- The Warriors will own their own lottery pick (14th-best odds) and the one belonging to the Timberwolves should it fall outside the top three. Given that the likes of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and James Wiseman are expected to return, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Golden State trade out or back in the first round, wrote Cole Sullivan of FortyEightMinutes.
- In case you missed it, the Blazers are expected to see some offseason changes, and perhaps even a few major ones, including coach Terry Stotts. You can read more details here on Hoopswire.
- Jazz guard Mike Conley Jr. remains day-to-day with a mild hamstring issue, suffered in the series-clinching Game 5 win over the Grizzlies. Conley’s injury will be reassessed prior to the first game of the second round. He averaged 16.2 points and 6.0 assists in 51 regular-season games.
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