Phoenix will likely be at full strength for Tuesday’s Game 5 against the Los Angeles Clippers as Cameron Payne is listed as probable with lower back soreness.
The fourth-seeded Suns have a 3-1 series lead.
Payne hasn’t played since April 7 when taking a hard fall against the Lakers in Los Angeles late in the regular season.
The Suns’ backup point guard missed Phoenix’s final regular season game on April 9 against the Clippers and hasn’t seen action in the Western Conference first round. Payne is the only one listed on the team’s injury report.
The Clippers will once again be without Kawhi Leonard and Paul George as they’re both out with right knee sprains.
George has been sidelined since injuring his knee on March 21 against Oklahoma City while Leonard has missed the last two games of this best-of-7 series.
Leonard scored 38 points in leading the Clippers to a Game 1 win in Phoenix and went for 31 points in Game 2 which the Suns won to even the series.
If the Clippers win Tuesday to avoid elimination, Game 6 will be Thursday in Los Angeles.
Have opinion about current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at [email protected] or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on Twitter at @DuaneRankin.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Suns update: Cameron Payne (back) probable for Game 5 vs. Clippers
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