Pelicans Scoop

Pelicans and Suns Set for Battle, Again

For the second time in three days, New Orleans and Phoenix square off.

Terry Kimble

Pelicans and Suns Set for Battle, Again
Pelicans and Suns Set for Battle, Again /
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A reporter asked Willie Green if the Pelicans and Suns were a rivalry, the coach paused and said he "wasn't sure." 

Zion Williamson's windmill dunk in the last 10 seconds of Friday night's 128-117 Pels victory may have changed his view. 

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Dec 9, 2022; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) dunks the ball against Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) and forward Torrey Craig (0) during the second half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

The monstrous 360-degree dunk placed an exclamation point on the 126-117 Pelicans victory but also lit fire to what had been smoldering since last season's playoff battle.

The crowd went crazy, and the Phoenix Suns felt disrespected.

Zion's dunk won't be erased from the minds of the prideful Phoenix Suns on Sunday afternoon. Last season, they boasted the Western Conference's best record, with star guards Chris Paul and Devin Booker leading the charge.

New Orleans should be ready to match the Sun's intensity as they hope to make an early statement on the Pelicans' home floor.

Green will need a repeat performance of Zion Williamson to pull off the win. Friday's 35 points effort was the resume of his rare size and speed combination that will pose an issue for the smaller Suns.  

Look for them to play more zone to protect the paint and force the Pelicans to make outside shots. New Orleans shot 8/27 (29.6%) from beyond the arc. The Suns made 22 three-pointers and ended up with a +42 advantage from downtown.

New Orleans has a clear advantage with its interior players. They won the points in the paint battle 72-38 and had the rebounding edge 44-37. Along with Zion's production inside, Jonas Valanciunas had a double-double with 12 points and ten rebounds. 

Nance Jr. contributed 17 points and nine rebounds. New Orleans has to make the Suns pay by playing small by punishing Phoenix in the interior. The Suns are a jump-shooting team and rank among the bottom of the league in free throw attempts. New Orleans won that stat 35 to 13 on Friday.

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Dec 9, 2022; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton (22) dribbles against New Orleans Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas (17) during the first half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

The Pels announced that Brandon Ingram and Herb Jones would miss the game with injuries. Ingram (toe) and Jones (ankle) will not play while recovering from injuries.

Expect Dyson Daniels and Trey Murphy III to get the start once again. Daniels was phenomenal in his defense of Devin Booker all night long. Booker scored just 14 points on 5/17 shooting thanks to the outstanding defense by Daniels.

Sunday afternoon's matchup will be must-see TV as these two teams fight for the Western Conference's top spot. The intensity and tension will be thicker than a humid summer morning in the Big Easy as they vie for bragging rights in the West.

Today, New Orleans will host Phoenix for a 2:30 PM CT tip-off in Smoother King Center.

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Terry Kimble
TERRY KIMBLE

Pelicans Scoop Writer

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