After a resounding Game 1 win punctuated by a Russell Westbrook block on Devin Booker, it seemed like the momentum of the first-round NBA playoff series was strongly in the Los Angeles Clippers' favor.  Scott Foster's involvement as the officiating crew chief only fanned that flame even further. And for the first 18 minutes of Game 2, it seemed like the Clippers were on track to take home a 2-0 series lead over the Phoenix Suns.

However, Booker, Kevin Durant, and Chris Paul showed why analysts picked them as one of the favorites of the Western Conference. Those three couldn't seem to miss starting in the second quarter. The Clippers then simply could not keep up, another strong game from Kawhi Leonard notwithstanding. As a result, the Clippers will have to be content with a series split heading back to the friendly confines of Crypto.com Arena.

While taking a 2-0 lead would certainly have been nice, head coach Tyronn Lue still likes the predicament he finds his Clippers in at the moment even after a 123-109 defeat.

“I feel good. I feel good with where we're at. Our guys are gonna keep competing and keep scrapping. We think we can win this series. That's the biggest thing. One hundred percent of the battle is believing. We believe we can do it. I think [we need to] clean up some things a little different. Like I said, I like where we're at, I like what we did tonight,” Lue said after the game, per Tomer Azarly, Clippers beat reporter for ClutchPoints.

It wasn't like the Clippers fell into their bad habits of offensive stagnation or poor ball security for stretches. The Clippers offense was running well, creating open shots for shooters that simply weren't on point on the night. Clippers not named Leonard or Westbrook went a combined 15-for-44 from the field (34.1 percent). Given the Suns' star power, that performance simply does not cut it.

The Suns also took advantage of the Clippers' drop coverage on multiple occasions. So Tyronn Lue will definitely have to mix up his defensive coverage for Game 3. Even then, many thought this series would be a cakewalk for Phenix with Paul George injured. However, the Clippers are putting up an admirable fight in what remains a winnable series for either team.