Booker, Suns Scorch Pelicans In Blowout Win
New Orleans, LA - The New Orleans Pelicans get blown out on their home court 123-109 at the hands of the Phoenix Suns. Pelicans' nemesis Devin Booker scored a season-high 52 points in three quarters against New Orleans. Booker scored 58 points last year against New Orleans, and from the opening tip, the Suns dominated the game.
Devin Booker received the loudest boos from the Smoothie King Center crowd, and he seemed to take that personally. Booker destroyed any defense New Orleans threw at him with a variety of elite shot-making. He scored eight points in the first two minutes of the game, en route to a 25-point first quarter. Pelicans starters CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram combined for just six first-quarter points. Zion Williamson made his presence felt early with 11 first-quarter points.
Jan 19, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) shoots against New Orleans Pelicans forward Naji Marshall (8) during the first half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
New Orleans shot the three-point shot poorly to open the game, shooting just 2/11 in the opening period. Phoenix led 41-28 after one-quarter of play. The Pelicans' offense then came to a grinding halt in the second period. New Orleans scored just four points in the first six minutes of the period, allowing the Suns' lead to grow past 20 points. Booker continued his hot shooting and ended the half with 32 points.
The Pelicans made a 9-3 push in the last minute before halftime, but the Suns' lead was still double-figures at 69-52. Jonas Valanciunas led the Pels in the first half, scoring 16 points, while the outside shooting continued to struggle. New Orleans shot 3/20 from distance in the first two quarters.
New Orleans' offense clicked at the beginning of the quarter but could not stop Booker's hot shooting. He poured in another 20-point quarter, finishing the third quarter with 52 points in the game. Booker is the first player this season to score 20 points in multiple quarters of the same game. Phoenix's lead was 20 points heading into the final quarter.
The Pelicans could not mount a fourth-quarter comeback as Grayson Allen scored eight points early in the fourth quarter to extend the Suns lead. Phoenix pulled their starters midway through the period, and it was garbage time for the remainder of the bench players. New Orleans' streak of winning games when they attempt more than 40 three-point shots came to an end on Friday night. The Pelicans finished shooting just 23% from three-point range.
Zion Williamson finished the game with 24 points to lead New Orleans in scoring. After finally scoring 20 points for the first time in seven games on Wednesday, Ingram scored just 17 points on Friday night. He, and the Pelicans, look for consistency against some of the elite teams in the NBA.
New Orleans continues their current four-game home stand Tuesday night against the Utah Jazz. They wrap up two nights later against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
