Clippers even with Suns

Elton Brand and the Clippers became the second team from Los Angeles to take the Phoenix Suns to the limit in these playoffs.

Unlike Lakers, the Clippers will take some momentum into Game 7.

Brand 30 points, 12 rebounds and five blocked shots, Corey Maggette came off the bench to score 13 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, and the Clippers beat the Suns 118-106 Thursday to even the Western Conference semifinal series at three games apiece.

"After six games in the playoffs and four in the regular season, we know each other pretty well," Brand said. "It comes down to who plays the best in Game 7."

"I'll definitely give them credit for a terrific game," Suns star Steve Nash said. "It just didn't seem like we had a lot of pop tonight."

The Suns will get some time off now, since Game 7 isn't until Monday night in Phoenix, where they beat the Clippers in two of the three previous playoff meetings, including a 125-118 double-overtime triumph in Game 5.

The Clippers sounded like they can use the time off, too. Neither team will practice Friday.

"Sam Cassell's legs are tired, and he's 58, so I think the days off will help him," Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy said with a smile.

Cassell, actually 36, said he could have used some extra time off after extending himself in Tuesday night's double-overtime game.

"It took its toll on me," Cassell said after getting 15 points and eight assists but committing six of his team's 19 turnovers.

"I want the championship for us. My crew is ready," he said. "You have to take advantage of these opportunities because you never know when they're going to come back."

The teams have alternated victories in the series, with the Suns winning Games 1, 3 and 5 and the Clippers winning Games 2, 4 and 6.

The Lakers took a 3-1 lead in the first round before the Suns came back, becoming the eighth NBA team to overcome such a deficit.

The home team has a 76-17 advantage in NBA playoff Game 7s, including Phoenix's 121-90 victory over the Lakers on May 6. But the Clippers played the Suns tough in all three postseason games in Phoenix, winning one and coming close in the other two.

"We have no road fear at all," Dunleavy said. "We feel we can play with anybody."

The Suns are trying to reach the Western Conference finals for the second straight season and the eighth time overall. They lost to the eventual NBA champion San Antonio Spurs in five games in the conference finals last spring.

The Clippers have won two playoff series in their history, and are looking to make it past the second round for the first time.

Quinton Ross, starting in place of Maggette, added a career-high 18 points and Chris Kaman had 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Clippers, who shot 61.5 percent and outrebounded the Suns 48-28.

"We just couldn't stop them," Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said. "I don't know if it's energy, but they played well. Give them credit, they played a good game. We got ourselves in trouble because we didn't make shots.

"You play all year to get home-court advantage, and we're at home in Phoenix."

Shawn Marion had 34 points, nine rebounds and six steals to lead the Suns, who shot 44 percent. Leonardo Barbosa added 25 points, Nash had 17 points and 11 assists, Boris Diaw had 14 points, nine rebounds and seven assists and Raja Bell scored 13.

"We have to figure out something by Monday," Barbosa said. "If we don't, we're done."

Bell, who averaged 22.2 points and shot 55.6 percent in the first five games of this series, shot 2-of-9 in this game. And Tim Thomas, a big factor for the Suns throughout the playoffs, was held to three points.

Maggette 10 points, including the Clippers' only two 3-pointers of the game during a 17-7 run to begin the fourth quarter, giving the Clippers a 105-88 lead.

"I felt some of their guys were tired," Maggette said. "I just tried to attack."

The Clippers scored six straight points for a 16-point lead late in the third quarter -- the largest of the game to that point. It was 86-70 when Barbosa made two 3-pointers and Marion another in a 70-second span to draw the Suns within seven. But that's as close as the Suns would get in the second half.

Ross 16 points in the first half -- one more than his previous career high in two seasons plus these playoffs.

The Mavericks-Spurs series took another wild turn Thursday, with Dallas guard Jason Terry getting suspended from Game 6 for punching former teammate Michael Finley while chasing a loose ball in the closing seconds of Game 5.

Terry Finley jostled with 3.4 seconds left in San Antonio's 98-97 victory on Wednesday night. Terry wound up on his back, grasping the ball, with Spurs forward Manu Ginobili forcing a jump ball by getting a hand on it, too.

While were sorting things out, Finley was visibly angry and had to be restrained by teammates. He appeared to be making a fist and telling his teammates that someone had punched him.

Nothing called at the time and neither team mentioned the incident during postgame interviews. NBA vice president Stu Jackson said "clearly, something happened," so it was reviewed early Thursday. Jackson said broadcast footage doesn't show the punch, but it was obvious when viewed from other angles. He also interviewed both players before handing down his ruling.

"There was no option here," Jackson said. "The rule is very clear cut. If you throw a punch, whether it connects or not, that will get you an automatic one-game suspension."

Terry practice without speaking to reporters before the punishment was announced. He later missed his local radio show, but called in and said: "I just want to apologize to the team and the organization and the fans. This is definitely a sad situation. But, hey, life goes on. We've got to deal with it."

The Mavericks lead the series 3-2. They have another chance to advance to the conference finals in Game 6 at home Friday night.

If the Spurs win, Game 7 would be Monday night in San Antonio.

Terry had been sharing point-guard duties with Devin Harris since Game 2. Jerry Stackhouse likely will fill the vacancy in the starting lineup.

Terry averaging 17.9 points in the playoffs, second on the club behind Dirk Nowitzki.