This clash at the top of the Western Conference has kept its promises! A shock finally won by the Pelicans (128-117) who, thanks to a better negotiated “money time”, won for the sixth time in a row and remained at the top of their conference, ahead of the Grizzlies and the Suns precisely.
The locals had to try several times to get away with the score. After a very tight first period without a leader flying away (55-52), the Pelicans dug a first substantial gap in the minutes following the change to the locker room (65-57). With the impact of the interior pair Zion Williamson – Jonas Valanciunas, this gap was confirmed later with the biggest advantage in favor of NOLA (82-66).
Led by 13 points (95-82) at the start of the last quarter, after conceding 40 points in the third, the Suns started from afar. But a little 3-point blast from general Chris Paul put Phoenix back on track. Torrey Craig also got into it several times, then Cameron Payne, from the same distance, allowed the visitors to pass in front four minutes from the end (107-108).
Despite this great comeback, the Suns did not have the keys to limit the beast opposite, Zion Williamson, who, well supported by Larry Nance Jr, feasted at the end of the game to secure success.
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– The dunk that goes wrong. ” No, no, no… “, had warned the local commentator before the gesture. The Suns didn’t appreciate that Zion Williamson broke the “rule” of not scoring in the final seconds when the game was played. The interior of the Pelicans has also done its part by signing… an impressive 360° windmill which barely impressed his teammates! Chris Paul and his family would have preferred it without it and made it clear.
– Pelicans pound under, Suns 3-pointer. The giants still have power. The proof with this match where different associations of interiors were composed to compete. Like this duel in the fourth between Deandre Ayton – Jock Landale and Larry Nance Jr. – Jonas Valanciunas. If finally two interiors finished best scorers, the opposition of style was flagrant. With the exception of Ayton therefore, the Suns spent their evening punishing from afar, finishing with an excellent 22/44 from 3-pointers. Their opponents were much less good in this sector but insisted below with 72 points scored, against 38 against, and three times as many shots obtained.
TOPS/FLOPS
✅ Zion Williamson. What a phenomenon. He was omnipresent in the “money time”, including in defense. We think of his interception four minutes from the end, on a cut and well-read pass line, which ended in an authoritarian dunk on the counterattack. Same penalty when Jose Alvarado screened Ayton, allowing Zion to take the baseline. His +30 to the score and his maximum efficiency say a lot about his performance.
✅ Larry Nance Jr.. Less spectacular than the first mentioned but no less essential. The interior signed an “all-around” match par excellence, as he knows how to produce, with constant activity. He more than made up for the clumsiness of his racket buddy, Jonas Valanciunas. Next to him off the bench, we must highlight the contribution of Jose Alvarado, especially in the first period, and Naji Marshall, author of a decisive shot two minutes from the end in a corner.
✅ Chris Paul. After a sluggish return against the Celtics, the leader behaved like a boss. Always looking for the right passing angles on the inside, “CP3” took things in hand in the last quarter with a series of three award-winning baskets that allowed his team to come back.
✅ Deandre Ayton. 12th double-double of the season while cleanliness for the pivot of the Suns, well found by Chris Paul. A big downside to his good performance of the evening, a serious and logical difficulty in containing Zion Williamson’s circle attacks, especially in the last minutes.
⛔ Devin Booker. Speaking of last minutes, the Suns fullback hasn’t seen them. Monty Williams preferred to do without his usual best scorer in the “money-time”. The full-back struggled all night with his shot and finished with -18.
THE FOLLOWING
Pelicans (17-8) and Suns (16-10) face each other again on the same floor on Sunday.
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