Schedule and 2005-06 Results
Regular Season Records: Phoenix 54-28, L.A. Clippers 47-35
Game 1 on Monday, 08 May: L.A. Clippers lose at Phoenix, 130-pts-123
Game 2 on Wednesday, 10 May: L.A. Clippers win at Phoenix, 122-pts-97
Game 3 on Friday, 12 May: Phoenix wins at L.A. Clippers, 94-pts-91
Game 4 on Sunday, 14 May: Phoenix loses at L.A. Clippers, 114-pts-107
Game 5 on Tuesday, 16 May: L.A. Clippers lose at Phoenix, 125-pts-118 (2OT)
Game 6 on Thursday, 18 May: Phoenix loses at L.A. Clippers, 118-pts-106
Game 7 on Monday, 22 May: L.A. Clippers lose at Phoenix, 127-pts-107

SERIES NOTES:

After Game 7: The Phoenix Suns hosted and defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 127-pts-107 to win best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 983, 4-games-3. The series 983 victory improves the Phoenix Suns' best-of-7 NBA playoff series record to 12-16. The series 983 loss drops the Los Angeles Clippers' best-of-7 NBA playoff series record to 1-1. The win order for the victorious Phoenix Suns in series 983 was WLWLWLW: Series 983 thus becomes the third NBA Quarterfinals series, the 12th NBA series (all rounds), and the 20th MLB/NBA/NHL series (all rounds) to follow that win order.

After Game 6: The Los Angeles Clippers hosted and defeated the Phoenix Suns 118-pts-106 to tie best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 983 at 3-games-all. The upcoming Game 7 is a first for the Los Angeles Clippers; the Phoenix Suns have a 3-5 Game 7 record. In best-of-7 NBA playoff series from 1947 through the 2006 Preliminary round, home teams have a Game 7 record of 76-17 (.817) overall and 35-5 (.875) in the Quarterfinals. In best-of-7 format NHL and NBA Quarterfinals, teams posting a WLWLWL win order (such as Phoenix) are on a four-Game 7-losing streak. Of the five NBA home teams to lose Game 7 in the Quarterfinals round, Phoenix has lost most often (twice, in 1981 to the Kansas City Kings in series 391, and in 1995 to the Houston Rockets in series 691).

After Game 5: The Phoenix Suns hosted and defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 125-pts-118 in double overtime to take a 3-games-2 lead in best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 983. When leading a best-of-7 NBA playoff series 3-games-2, the Phoenix Suns have a series record of 5-3. The Los Angeles Clippers are trailing a best-of-7 NBA playoff series 3-games-2 for the first time. In best-of-7 NBA Quarterfinals series, teams leading 3-games-2 @ HHVVH (such as Phoenix in series 983) have a 44-2 series record. But one of the two losses was sustained by none other than the Phoenix Suns, which lost series 691 to the Houston Rockets in the 1995 NBA Quarterfinals. Those 1995 Rockets thus set a favorable precedent for the 2006 Los Angeles Clippers. Setting a favorable precedent for the 2006 Suns were ... the 2005 Phoenix Suns: In series 983, the Phoenix win order is WLWLW; in series 949 (in the 2005 NBA Quarterfinals against the Dallas Mavericks), the Suns' win order through five games was WLWLW, and they won Game 6 to win series 949. The last NBA playoff game to go to double overtime was series 939 Game 3 between the Miami Heat and the New Jersey Nets; Miami won the game in New Jersey, 108-pts-105. Ironically, the Heat and Nets just concluded series 981 tonight (16 May 2006), albeit in regulation. The last triple overtime NBA playoff game also involved the Nets, in series 930 Game 5 (in which the Nets defeated the Pistons in Detroit 127-pts-120).

After Game 4: The Los Angeles Clippers hosted and defeated the Phoenix Suns 114-pts-107 to even best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 983 at 2-games-all. When tied 2-games-all in a best-of-7 NBA playoff series, the Phoenix Suns have a series record of 4-5. The Los Angeles Clippers are tied 2-games-all in a best-of-7 NBA playoff series for the first time.

After Game 3: The Phoenix Suns visited and defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 94-pts-91 to take a 2-games-1 lead in best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 983. When leading a best-of-7 NBA playoff series 2-games-1, the Phoenix Suns have a series record of 8-3. When trailing a best-of-7 NBA playoff series 2-games-1, the Los Angeles Clippers have a series record of 0-0. In NBA best-of-7 playoff series history, teams such as Phoenix with a win/site order of WLW @ HHV through three games have a series record of 37-4; the Phoenix Suns themselves in this situation have a perfect 3-0 series record.

After Game 2: The Los Angeles Clippers visited and defeated the Phoenix Suns 122-pts-97 to knot best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 983 at 1-game-all. When tied 1-game-all in a best-of-7 NBA playoff series, the Phoenix Suns have a series record of 9-3 with a two-series winning streak. The Los Angeles Clippers are tied 1-game-all for the first time in a best-of-7 NBA playoff series.

After Game 1: The Phoenix Suns hosted and defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 130-pts-123 to take a 1-game-nil lead in best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 983. When leading a best-of-7 NBA playoff series 1-game-nil, the Phoenix Suns have a series record of 8-4 with a three-series winning streak. The Los Angeles Clippers are trailing a best-of-7 NBA playoff series 1-game-nil for the first time. The 253 total points tallied in series 983 Game 1 make it the highest-scoring non-overtime best-of-7 NBA playoff game since series 497 Game 2, in which the Los Angeles Lakers hosted and defeated the Boston Celtics 141-pts-122 in the 1987 NBA Finals.

Pre-series assessment: In the 2005-06 regular season, Phoenix finished seven games ahead of the Los Angeles Clippers. From 1947 through the 2006 NBA and NHL Preliminary rounds, when NBA teams led their best-of-7 playoff series opponents by seven regular-season games, they have posted a 16-3 (.842) best-of-7 series record in those series against those opponents. Best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL series 983 is the second best-of-7 NBA playoff series for the Los Angeles Clippers, and the 28th for the Phoenix Suns. In best-of-7 NBA playoff series, Los Angeles has a 1-0 series record, a 0-0 Qtrs-round series record, and a 1-0 Game 1 record, while Phoenix has an 11-16 series record, a 7-8 Qtrs-round record, and a 12-15 Game 1 record. Series 983 is the first best-of-7 NBA playoff series meeting between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Phoenix Suns.