Driving a Point Home Is Firmly on the Agenda

PHOENIX — So, which team has home-court advantage in the Clippers-Suns Western Conference semifinals series?

It seems the supposed advantage hasn’t provided an edge for either team in the best-of-seven series -- tied at 2-2 with Game 5 tonight at US Airways Center -- and that’s fine with the Clippers.

The Clippers have played well here recently, and they’ll need at least one more victory away from home to win the series.

The Suns won Game 3 at Staples Center and are upbeat despite losing Game 4, figuring they’re in the driver’s seat with two of the final three games scheduled for Phoenix, including Game 7, if necessary.

It’s a best-of-three sprint to the finish, and the Clippers hope home-court advantage in this matchup holds to form.

“It’s winding down to Phoenix having two home-court games, but home court hasn’t really mattered much,” power forward Elton Brand said. “They won on our home court, and we won on their home court, so it’s going to come down to whichever team plays the best.”

The Clippers have appeared comfortable at US Airways Center, winning two of the teams’ last three games, including a 122-97 victory in Game 2. The Clippers also routed the Suns, 119-105, on April 5 in their most impressive road performance of the regular season.

And although the Suns defeated the Clippers, 130-123, in Game 1, the Clippers had an eight-point lead late in the third quarter.

Coach Mike Dunleavy “called it before the series, and he’s right, there’s not really a home-court advantage in this series,” second-year point guard Shaun Livingston said. “We’ve proven all year we can win on the road, and win at their place.

“Now, if we want to win the series, we know we’ve got to take another one on their court. That’s just the way it is.”

The Clippers set a franchise record with 20 road victories this season, and Dunleavy has encouraged the Clippers to “embrace the challenge of playing on the road” in his three seasons with the team.

He had tonight’s situation in mind.

“Our guys now believe they can win anywhere against anyone, and they’ve proven they can,” he said. “People ask me, ‘Are you concerned about playing on the road?’ The answer is always the same, ‘No,’ because I know what type of team we have.

“When you’ve played as deep into a season as we have now, and had the success we have, you’ve proven what you are. You’ve got to believe in your success, and I know we do.”

The Suns do too.

They won the Pacific Division for the second consecutive season, finishing seven games ahead of the second-place Clippers.

The teams split the season series, 2-2, but the Suns expect a home-court boost tonight.

“At the end of the day, we got one [in L.A.], and now it’s a two-out-of-three series, two in Phoenix,” Suns Coach Mike D’Antoni said. “I don’t think we can ask for much better than that.

“I don’t think we’re going to sweep anybody all the time. We have to understand where we are. We’ve got a great opportunity to get the series back under control.”

The Clippers overcame the loss of center Chris Kaman, who sat out because of a strained right shoulder, and shook off a three-point defeat in Game 3 to hold off the Suns in Game 4, 114-107.

An MRI exam Monday on Kaman’s shoulder revealed no structural damage, the Clippers said, and he’s listed as day-to-day. The Clippers would prefer to have 7-foot, 265-pound Kaman on the court, but they won with a smaller lineup Sunday and could again tonight, Dunleavy said.

“You hate to miss anybody who’s an important part of what you do, but the most important thing is having somebody who’s healthy, and who can perform up to his level,” Dunleavy said. “You saw [Sunday] where the versatility of our team kicked in. We were able to shift gears, go with a smaller lineup to matchup with their smalls, and we were able to win.”

Containing Phoenix point guard Steve Nash helped.

The Clippers have used double- and triple-team schemes to slow down the two-time MVP. On Sunday, Nash had 11 assists but only eight points -- two after halftime, none in the fourth quarter.

Since his 31-point performance in Game 1, Nash’s point totals (14, 12 and eight) have dropped each game.

“I’m a little tired, but I still feel fine,” said Nash, who is averaging 10.3 assists. “I’m just not getting the same opportunities when I’m being double-teamed all game.”

*

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

Pivotal

Statistically, the winner of Game 5 in a tied best-of-seven NBA playoff series has an advantage. Series records of teams who won Game 5:

*--* Winner W-L Pct Overall 165-28 855 Home 118-10 922 Visitor 47-18 723

*--*