The Phoenix Suns have heated up down the stretch, while the New Orleans Pelicans have gone cold.
The Suns (46-31) will try to strengthen their hold on the No. 6 playoff spot in the Western Conference and the Pelicans (45-32) will try to avoid sliding deeper into the play-in tournament when the teams meet Sunday in Phoenix.
Phoenix has won three straight and four of its last five games while facing opponents that are all well above .500. New Orleans has lost four straight and five out of six, most recently losing 111-109 at home on Friday to San Antonio, the worst team in the Western Conference.
The Pelicans’ losing streak includes a 124-111 home loss to the Suns on Monday. Devin Booker scored 52 points for the Suns, just as he did in a Jan. 19 victory against the Pelicans.
But it was a balanced scoring effort and stifling defense that keyed Phoenix’s 97-87 victory over the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday.
“We just keep improving,” Suns coach Frank Vogel said. “We don’t want to be a good defense, we want to be a great defense. Guys have responded. (Center Jusuf Nurkic) has really grown throughout the season as a rim defender, blocking everything that’s coming to the basket, trusting his teammates to go attack.”
Phoenix allowed its fewest points in a game this season and the Timberwolves scored their fewest. The Suns scored 24 points off 19 Minnesota turnovers.
“This was one of our best communication games of the season,” Suns guard Grayson Allen said of the defensive effort. “Just great all around.”
Allen scored 23 points, Kevin Durant had 22, Bradley Beal had 14, Booker had 13 points and 13 assists and Nurkic had 11 points and 15 rebounds. All five starters scored as Phoenix scored the first 15 points of the game and never relinquished the lead.
The Suns have clinched the head-to-head tie-breaker with the Pelicans, who played without their top two scorers — Zion Williamson (finger) and Brandon Ingram (knee) — against the Spurs. Williamson (22.8 points per game) practiced fully Saturday and is day-to-day. No time has been set for a possible return by Ingram (20.9), who has missed two weeks.
“You just have to continue to compete, get back to the basics,” New Orleans guard CJ McCollum said. “I have to play better. I think it just starts with looking within: everybody looking from within, figuring out how you can contribute more and be better and be more efficient and more consistent throughout a 48-minute game.”
New Orleans led San Antonio by as many as 15 points in the first half but got outscored 60-48 in the second half. McCollum led the Pelicans with 31 points, but scored just 12 in the second half, shooting 5 of 17, including 2 of 7 on 3-pointers.
“He missed some easy shots, but we’re asking CJ to do a lot,” New Orleans coach Willie Green said. “He’s been really good with trying to carry the load as much as he can. Teams are going to pressure him, try to take the ball out of his hands and make it difficult on him, and force other guys to have to make plays for us.”
–Field Level Media