Devin Booker blasts the Clippers with 40 points as the Suns overcome a 21-point deficit to win

Just last week, the Clippers hosted the Phoenix Suns and just nine days later they played them again at the Intuit Dome.

Before the game, Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said there weren't many advantages to playing a team like the Suns again so soon, especially a team with lethal weapons Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. At least they didn't have to face Bradley Beal, who couldn't play Thursday because of an elbow injury.

It looked like the Clippers had found an advantage as they went after the Suns early, building a 19-point lead in the first quarter that grew to 21 in the third quarter.

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However, the Clippers couldn't hold onto the lead and lost 125-119 to the Suns despite five players scoring in double figures.

That's because Booker gave the Clippers 40 points along with eight assists and five rebounds.

That's because the Suns dominated the Clippers in the third quarter, shooting 80% (16 for 20) from the field and scoring 39 points.

That's because the Clippers turned the ball over six times in the fourth quarter.

All five of the Clippers' games have been close, but they are winless in three games at their new home in Inglewood.

“We have to keep getting better. We were able to finish the games better and we can just continue to learn from that,” said Lue. “All five of our games were close to the point. We were lucky to win two of them. …So we just stay the course and understand that our margin for error is very small.

“Every possession counts. … We play hard, we compete, but we have to play smarter and get better.”

James Harden led the Clippers with a triple-double of 25 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds. It was his 78th career triple-double, tying him for seventh in NBA history with Hall of Fame legend and former Laker Wilt Chamberlain.

Harden surpassed 26,000 career points, becoming one of 20 players in league history to reach the milestone.

But Harden is still trying to make his game efficient. He was 8-for-19 from the field and 3-for-10 from three-point range. He had six turnovers.

“There will be turnovers,” Harden said. “I try, but some of the passes I make are successful and some are not. So I'm just trying to find a balance of when to throw and when not to throw. But I can control the ones that aren't forced much better.

“But I don’t think it’s necessarily the turnovers that lost the game. We did well defensively in the third quarter, they didn't feel us on defense, our presence and they just felt comfortable. They made shots and that got them back in the game.”

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The Suns took over the game in the second half and the Clippers defense couldn't contain them.

The Clippers saw their 70-52 halftime lead shrink to just two points early in the fourth quarter. It didn't help the Clippers that Norman Powell (23 points) went to the locker room after getting hit in the face. He returned to the game in the fourth quarter.

Phoenix shot 60.5% from the field, 52.5% from three-point range and scored 73 points in the final 24 minutes.

“Definitely frustrating, but there’s nothing we can do about it,” Harden said of the Clippers’ blown 21-point lead. “We just have to find ways to get better. I think we had that conversation last night and tonight I think we came out with really good energy, a positive start and enough talent.”

“When we get leads, we just have to know how to get a really good shot and sustain those leads… but all of that comes with growing pains.”

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This story originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.