With numerous players resting once again, Paul Pierce and the Los Angeles Clippers fell in the season finale at the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday, 114-105, but they’re hoping their playoff preparations will soon pay off.

L.A. rested its starters to remain fresh for this weekend. While Blake Griffin rested, Paul took his place at the four in the starting lineup. The Truth scored six points in the defeat, as five Clippers scored in double figures. Wesley Johnson and CJ Wilcox led with 19 points apiece, while Austin Rivers had 16, Cole Aldrich added 14 and Jeff Green finished with 12.

“We were just having fun,” Rivers said. “Everybody was smiling and laughing. We deserve it. We had a good season. Now the season really starts. Tonight was all about us playing hard and practicing good habits defensively. That’s all we really cared about.”

Los Angeles Clippers v Phoenix Suns

Both teams shot roughly 45 percent, with the Clippers holding an edge from the perimeter. But the Suns remained aggressive for 60 points in the paint to the Clippers’ 46. Phoenix also capitalized on extra opportunities, outscoring L.A. in second-chance points, 31-6.

Mirza Teletovic scored a game-high 22 points, as seven Suns reached double digits in the scoring column.

No. 34 did all of his scoring in the first half to help his team early before the Suns took off in the second. Paul scored first for L.A. with a step-back jumper, tying it at two. Throughout the first 12 minutes, Aldrich, Wilcox and Jeff Ayres combined for 18 points to push the Clips out to a 27-25 lead.

Paul knocked down another two jumpers in the second stanza, the first was a turnaround to pull within three and the second was a pull-up to tie it at 51. But Phoenix scored the last nine points of the half to take a 62-55 edge into the break.

The Suns continued to go to work, extending their lead to as many as 18 in the final frame.

Although Paul was kept quiet in the contest, coach Doc Rivers expects great things from his veteran in the playoffs.

“Making big shots,” Rivers said of his expectations. “Playing heady, smart basketball. Putting his body at the right spot. Just being a leader. That’s the role we hope for.”

Paul hopes to live up to that role, beginning with a best-of-seven series with the Portland Trail Blazers.

NEXT UP

The fourth-seeded Clippers (53-29) host the fifth-seeded Trail Blazers (44-38) for the first two games of the playoffs. Game 1, which will broadcast nationally on TNT, is set to start at 7:30 p.m. PT.

L.A. took the regular season series, 3-1, after beating Portland in their three most recent meetings. In their latest matchup, the Clips came out on top, 96-94, thanks to 25 points from Jamal Crawford and a buzzer-beater from J.J. Redick.

The Blazers are fronted by point guard Damian Lillard (25.1 points, 6.8 assists), shooting guard CJ McCollum (20.8 points, 1.2 steals) and center Mason Plumlee (7.7 rebounds, 1.0 blocks).

“He is the head of the snake, so we have to focus on him,” Austin Rivers said of Lillard. “If we take him out, we will win the series.”

The Blazers have won seven of the last nine, but the Clippers have also been hot. Prior to their most recent setback, they enjoyed a six-game winning streak. With both teams coming into this weekend on recent surges, the competition should be gritty.

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