DeAndre Ayton's wild alley-oop slam puts Suns ahead 2-0 vs Clippers

MANILA, Philippines – A dunk by DeAndre Ayton with 0.7 ticks left in the game helped the Phoenix Suns escape the Los Angeles Clippers, 104-103, for a 2-0 lead in the NBA Western Conference finals at the Phoenix Suns Arena in Arizona on Tuesday (Wednesday, Manila time).

JAE CROWDER INBOUNDS IT TO DEANDRE AYTON FOR THE DUNK TO PUT THE @SUNS UP 2-0!#ThatsGame #NBAPlayoffs#WeAreTheValley pic.twitter.com/ltuQI6lxNl

— NBA (@NBA) June 23, 2021

Paul George’s crucial misses from the free throw line left the door ajar for the Suns after a turnover by Devin Booker gave the Clippers the ball with 9.3 left.

Mikal Bridges fouled George to milk the clock, and the latter then missed the freebies.

While a triple from Bridges missed the mark on a potential game-winner, the ball went back to the Suns with 0.8 left to set up the Ayton lob.

The Clippers had 0.7 ticks left for a game-winner try of their own but they couldn't convert.

Cameron Payne paced the Suns — who are still without Chris Paul — with 29 points while Ayton had 24, including the game-winning dunk.

Booker, who played through a bleeding nose after a collision with Patrick Beverley, scattered 20 points.

George, for his part, led the Clippers with 26 points.

The series thus shifts to Los Angeles for Game Three on Thursday (Friday, Manila time) with the Clippers down 0-2 once again.