Pelicans Final Regular Season Road Trip Opens With Pivotal Matchup Against The Suns

Phoenix and New Orleans battle in a crucial game for Western Conference seeding.

The New Orleans Pelicans (45-32) travel to the desert to battle the Phoenix Suns (46-31) on Sunday evening in a crucial game for playoff seeding in the Western Conference. New Orleans is currently one game behind the Suns in the standings, with each team having five games remaining in the regular season. Phoenix has already won the season series against the Pelicans, so the tiebreaker goes to them if both teams end the season with the same record.

New Orleans faces some injury concerns heading into the matchup on Sunday. Star forward Zion Williamson is listed as questionable with a left finer bruise, the same injury that kept him out of Friday night's loss to the San Antonio Spurs. Williamson will again be a game-time decision to play. Jose Alvarado has been upgraded to questionable to play for the first time in six games after suffering a right oblique injury last week. Brandon Ingram remains out while he recovers from a hyperextended knee suffered on March 21. The team announced on Saturday that Ingram can begin individual basketball on-court activities.

The scenario of the Pelicans being on a four-game losing streak and dealing with a rash of injuries is not ideal in an important battle with the Suns. Regardless of who plays on Sunday, New Orleans' No. 1 priority is trying to slow down Suns' superstar Devin Booker, who has torched the Pelicans in the last three matchups. Booker became the first player since Wilt Chamberlain to score at least 50 points in three straight games versus the same opponent. Booker is shooting over 60% from the field in the last three games against the Pelicans.

Many expect the Pelicans to trap and get the ball out of Booker's hand early in the shot clock. The issue is Phoenix still has Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal on the court to hurt teams doubling on Booker. Phoenix is one of the best shooting teams in the NBA, ranking top five in field goal percentage and three-point percentage. That shooting from beyond the arc has been a staple in recent games between these two teams, with the Suns making at least 15 three-point shots in the last three matchups.

The Pelicans bench has not provided much of a spark for the team as of late. During New Orleans' 1-5 homestand, their bench averaged just 17 points per contest. If Williamson suits up on Sunday, the bench needs to provide scoring support for him and CJ McCollum to come away with a victory against the Suns. After Sunday's game, the Pels still have matchups with the Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors on this road trip, both fighting for playoff seeding in the Western Conference.