It is almost the end of the regular season and the Phoenix Suns are making a final push to clinch a playoff spot. In their recent game against the New Orleans Pelicans, Devin Booker erupted from beyond the arc and recorded his eighth career 50-point game. NOLA’s defense allowed multiple open looks. It seemed as if they had disregarded his elite perimeter shooting abilities.
The Suns closed out the game with a 124-111 victory at the Smoothie King Center. New Orleans led by as much as two points during the first quarter but that was the only time they had control over the game. Phoenix executed their defensive plays well, ultimately shutting down the Pelicans outside the paint. They have moved up the Western Conference charts ranking 7th, just behind the Pelicans.
Phoenix Suns player stats
The regular season series has yet to end between the Suns and Pelicans. However, Phoenix has a 2-0 lead at the moment. They averaged 49.4% from the field, 38.3% from deep, and 80% from the free throw line. They also recorded 6 blocks and 7 steals. Booker scored 52 points along with 9 rebounds and 3 assists shooting 8-16 from beyond the arc.
Player | Minutes | Points | Assists | Rebounds |
Kevin Durant | 41 | 20 | 3 | 7 |
Grayson Allen | 33 | 11 | 4 | 2 |
Jusuf Nurkic | 36 | 19 | 4 | 19 |
Beal Bradley | 39 | 13 | 6 | 9 |
Devin Booker | 39 | 52 | 9 | 3 |
Eric Gordon | 19 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
Royce O’Neale | 15 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
Drew Eubanks | 12 | 4 | 1 | 2 |
Bol Bol | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Kevin Durant recorded a perfect 20 points to back his teammate up. Bradley Beal along with the Slim Reaper had outstanding defensive plays. Beal had 13 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists. Jusuf Nurkic had an outstanding game scoring 19 points along with 19 rebounds. Grayson Allen had a few good shots as well finishing with 11 points.
New Orleans Pelicans player stats
The Suns shut down the Pelicans from every spot outside of the paint. They finished with 60 points coming from within the paint. NOLA shot 47.2% from the field, 40.7% on 24 attempts from deep, and 66.7% from the foul line. Zion Williamson led the pack with 30 points, 2 rebounds, and 5 assists.
Player | Minutes | Points | Assists | Rebounds |
Zion Williamson | 37 | 30 | 5 | 2 |
Jonas Valanciunas | 24 | 11 | 1 | 7 |
Trey Murphy III | 32 | 21 | 4 | 6 |
CJ McCollum | 40 | 15 | 9 | 5 |
Herbert Jones | 33 | 9 | 1 | 0 |
Dyson Daniels | 25 | 9 | 5 | 7 |
Lance Nance Jr. | 19 | 9 | 1 | 7 |
Jordan Hawkins | 15 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
Naji Marshall | 15 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
Trey Murphy III had 21 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists including two steals. CJ McCollum recorded 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 9 assists while Herbert Jones took over defensive duties. He had 4 steals along with 9 points.