Heading to Louisiana for the continuation of this series between New Orleans and Phoenix. All without Devin Booker, hit in the hamstrings and who remains uncertain this entire first round. But even without its All-Star rear guard, it was the best team in the league to come out winning (114-111) on the Pelicans floor.
A win synonymous with home field advantage for the Suns, carried by Deandre Ayton (28 points, 17 rebounds) almost all night before Chris Paul (28 points, 14 assists) decided, as in Game 1, to let her speak killer instinct in the fourth quarter: 19 points!
The men of Monty Williams, displaced and weakened, therefore put their heads back in place from Game 3 and took control (2-1) of this series, and here they put pressure on Brandon Ingram’s teammates (34 points, 7 rebounds) and CJ McCollum (30 points, 7 assists), for Game 4.
WHAT TO REMEMBER
† Without Devin Booker, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton took over† In the absence of the All-Star rearguard, the leader and pivot of the Suns were expected to respond to say the least: They didn’t fail, with a double-double each. Author of his record for points in the play-offs, Deandre Ayton set three-quarters an example as an anchor inside, with his touch and his finish near the circle, on Maestro Paul’s caviar. “CP3”, exactly, was responsible for killing the pelicans in the last act, with his usual mastery in the money time, especially at medium range. teamwork.
† Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum Tried Everything† It’s hard to blame the Ingram/Mccollum pair, who clearly tried their best to give the Pelicans the edge in this first round. Nevertheless, often lonely and weighed down by Jonas Valanciunas’s non-match, she had to lay her arms in front of the Suns, not without struggling until the last moments. Impressive collective mastery in hot moments, the Phoenix players nevertheless managed to calm the enthusiasm of the opposing team, who imagined playing a vicious trick on the visitors. As in game 2…
† The Expulsion of Jaxson Hayes† It was in the middle of the second quarter that the Pelicans’ pivot made a gesture as stupid as it was dangerous on Jae Crowder. In the struggle for the rebound with Suns winger, after being submerged by Landry Shamet, he simply allowed himself to close in on his opponent and immediately throw him to the ground. Unsurprisingly, he therefore inherited a blatant Level II offense, well-deserved and synonymous with disqualification. Leaving his team with no real circle guard and even fewer solutions inside, to try and slow down Deandre Ayton…
TOPS/FLOPS
Mastery of Phoenix† It was anything but easy for the Suns tonight. But with experience, the best team in the league has honored its status by grabbing this success with pliers. In the wake of a Chris Paul who has always been so surgical when it comes to managing a tense end to the meeting, Phoenix has consistently been able to make the right decision under pressure. Cheap (6 losses), able to overcome their clumsiness at 3-pts (4/26), pushing quite a bit (64 points, against 40 up front) and well placed in the offensive rebound, Monty’s men Williams prove there that they are collectively at their peak.
Yes Vale McGee† Like Deandre Ayton, the pivot that replaced the Suns also had no qualms about dominating the interior of the Pelicans. He finished with 15 points in 12 minutes, 7/8 of shooting. Always bursting with energy and effective over a short playing time, night after night (or almost) he continues to demonstrate that he is the element the Monty Williams men lacked when they came off the bench, the year went by, in Ayton’s relay.
Devonte Graham† If the Pelicans’ bench as a whole hasn’t really shined today, the leader had the credit for getting there individually. Transparent since the start of this streak, he finally sparked off the bench for the Pelicans, in short runs: 12 points and 5 rebounds, 3/6 to 3-pts, in 13 minutes. A valuable contribution, like the one (shorter) made by Jose Alvarado in the fourth quarter, in support of Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum. But this contribution ultimately turns out to be insufficient…
The Valanciunas-Nance Jr duo† If the Suns have dominated the racket so much, it’s largely because of the failed performances by Jonas Valanciunas and Larry Nance Jr. at the pivot position. Constantly fined in defense by Deandre Ayton and JaVale McGee, the two interiors of the Pelicans also did nothing on offense: 6 points (1/5 on shots and 11 rebounds) for Valanciunas; 2 points (at 1/8 on shots, including 0/4 on 3-pts, and with 4 rebounds) to Nance Jr. Just disastrous, from start to finish.
Landry Shamet† More empowered by his coach, to fill Devin Booker’s absence, he failed to influence this meeting. Very clumsy (2/7 on shots, including 0/5 on 3-pts…), little influential in scoring (5 points) and in turn dominated in defense by CJ McCollum and Devonte ‘Graham, even Brandon Ingram, the Suns behind has racked up a gap in his 30 minute playtime thanks to the threat he still represents behind the arc. On the other hand, at least he will have managed to sign one of the actions of the evening: a terrible poster dunk on Jaxson Hayes, in transition, before halftime!
THE FOLLOWING
Game 4 on the night from Sunday to Monday (3:30 am), still in New Orleans.
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