Booker Burns Pelicans Again With Monster 52 Point Performance

The Pelicans again had no answers for Devin Booker as he joined Wilt Chamberlain in rare NBA feat.

Apr 1, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) shoots against New / Matthew Hinton-USA TODAY Sports

New Orleans, LA - Devin Booker's mastery over the New Orleans Pelicans continues as he scored 54 points to secure a 124-111 victory on Monday night. With Booker's third straight 50-point game, he joins Wilt Chamberlain as the only player in NBA history with three straight 50-point games against the same opponent.

The Pelicans must be tired of being a part of the Devin Booker experience. Booker had scored 52 and 56 points respectively, in the last two matchups versus the Pelicans. He started Monday's game with 24 first-quarter points in a dominating offensive performance from the Suns. Phoenix didn't commit any turnovers in the quarter and shot 64% from the three-point line. Meanwhile, the Pels struggled to get anything going offensively, with Zion Williamson scoring just two points and committing two fouls. Phoenix led 46-28 heading into the second quarter.

Phoenix continued their assault in the second quarter, with Booker scoring 13 more points to lead the Suns. Williamson got going for the Pelicans with eight points in the quarter, but New Orleans couldn't stop the Suns from deep. Phoenix made 13 three-pointers in the first half and shot 52% from beyond the arc. Dyson Daniels gave the Pelicans a good first-half boost with seven points in his second game back from injury. The Suns lead 74-54 at the half.

New Orleans began to show signs of life after halftime with a strong third quarter. The Pelicans outscored the Suns 36-29 thanks to a 7-2 close to the period. New Orleans finally trapped Devin Booker as the Suns guard had 48 points midway through the quarter. The gamble worked with the Suns unable to maintain a 20-point lead, with the Pels cutting the deficit down to 13 points heading into the fourth quarter.

Things got interesting once the Pelicans got the Suns' lead down to seven points. Zion Williamson led all scorers with 11 points in the fourth quarter for a team-high 30 points. Both teams struggled to score down the stretch, but Booker hit two key baskets to push the Suns' lead to double-figures. New Orleans didn't threaten again and lost for the third time in the last four home games.

The Pelicans are now a half-game behind the Dallas Mavericks for the fifth seed, but only a game ahead of the Suns for the seventh seed. New Orleans need to remain in the top six seeds to avoid the Play-In Tournament. The Pelicans host the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night.