The Los Angeles Clippers got their road trip off to a good start Thursday night in Sacramento, and look to continue their winning ways against the Phoenix Suns Friday night at the U.S. Airways Center in Phoenix. The Clippers are 9-7 on the road this season and have won eight of their last 11 contests away from Staples Center.
Friday features a battle of extraordinary point guards, with Chris Paul battling Steve Nash. Paul had 22 points and nine assists in Thursday's 108-100 win over Sacramento, and had 15 points in the second half to key the victory. Nash had 13 points and a season-high-tying 17 assists Thursday night in a ... win over Minnesota, and leads the league at 11.1 assists per game this season. Paul is fourth in the NBA at 8.5 dimes per contest.
Nash leads all guards this season with a 53.9% field goal percentage, one of just three guards to shoot at least 50% this season along with Mario Chalmers and Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat. Paul is fourth among guards with a 49.6% shooting percentage this season.
This is the first meeting of the season between the Clippers and Suns, and the first of four meetings in the second half of the season. The Clippers have lost 11 of their last 12 games against the Suns, and have lost eight straight games in Phoenix. The last time the Clippers won in Phoenix was April 17, 2007.
Friday night's 7:30 p.m. PST game will be televised by both ESPN and Prime Ticket. For more news and information regarding Clippers basketball, be sure to read Clips Nation.