The New Orleans Pelicans are peaking at the right time.
That’s bad news for a Phoenix Suns team down its leading scorer.
Riding Brandon Ingram’s hot hand, Herbert Jones’ relentless defense and a 12-0 fourth-quarter run, the Pelicans ran away from the Suns for a 118-103 win on Sunday. Now a team that started the season 1-12 and needed two play-in wins to secure the West’s final playoff spot is tied 2-2 with the NBA’s best team in the first round of the playoffs.
And Devin Booker’s not coming back any time soon.
The game was tight from the start, with Phoenix responding to a 25-22 first-quarter lead by New Orleans to take a 51-49 edge into halftime. But the second half was all Pelicans. New Orleans outscored Phoenix by 13 in the third quarter before turning the game into a stunning blowout in the fourth quarter, sparked by a 12-0 run to extend their lead to 101-85 with 5:44 remaining. The Suns had no response.
