Devin Booker averaged 26.8 points per game as the Suns set a franchise record with 64 victories.
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The Phoenix Suns appear eager to prove that last year’s NBA Finals appearance was not a fluke. The New Orleans Pelicans appear eager to prove they can win more than just a pair of Play-In games without Zion Williamson.
The top-seeded Suns might appear to be heavy favorites against the No. 8 Pelicans in their first-round playoff series beginning with Game 1 on Sunday (9 p.m. ET, TNT). But both teams have traveled remarkable paths while showcasing their worth.
A year after showing their route to the NBA Finals went beyond eliminating teams with key injuries to their star players, the Suns have indisputably become the NBA’s team to beat with a league-best 64-18 record that also set a franchise record. A year after missing the NBA Play-In Tournament all together, the Pelicans avoided a repeat scenario by becoming one of the league’s most resilient teams while Williamson has been sidelined with a surgically repaired right foot.
The Suns feature an elite point guard that has defied Father Time (Chris Paul) and a young star worthy of MVP consideration (Devin Booker). They have a blossoming young center (Deandre Ayton) and a handful of key role players (Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Cameron Payne, Jae Crowder). And they have a commanding and steady leader that has garnered Coach of the Year consideration (Monty Williams).
As for the Pelicans? Despite Williamson’s season-long absence, the Pelicans relied on Brandon Ingram’s emerging leadership, scoring and defense just as they have in the past three seasons. They dealt Steven Adams to Memphis for Jonas Valančiūnas, who has given the Pelicans versatility up front both as a post player and outside shooter. And they have experienced a resurgence with veteran CJ McCollum, who has given selfless leadership and scoring after the Pelicans acquired him from Portland before the trade deadline.
Three things to watch
1. Rest vs. rust? The Suns will have gone a full week without playing in an NBA game. Make that 12 days exactly for Paul, Booker, Ayton, Payne and Crowder, all of whom sat in the Suns’ season finale vs. Sacramento both to heal minor injuries and rest. The Pelicans? They will play a game only 48 hours after already playing in two Play-In games this week.
All of which sets up the old rest vs. rust debate. Can the Pelicans steal Game 1 and perhaps beyond because of their presumably sharpened rhythm and conditioning? Or will the Suns ultimately prevail because they are healthier and more rested for the playoff grind ahead?
2. Will Booker or Paul emerge as the Suns’ most important player? The Suns appear equipped to go on a significant playoff run, if not win the NBA title completely, by relying on both their stars and role players. After all, the Suns became the only NBA team this season to finish in the top five in offensive (114.2, fifth), defensive (106.8, third) and net rating (7.5, first). But beginning with the Suns’ first-round matchup against New Orleans, keep an eye out on if a passing of the torch takes place between Phoenix’s two stars.
To be clear, Paul and Booker have not stepped on each other’s toes and have appreciated each other’s value. But while Paul has continued to defy age, Booker has continuously risen as one of the NBA’s best players. Though Paul will likely always remain the team’s leader because of his point-guard duties (league-leading 10.8 assists per game) and veteran credentials, Booker has spent the past season showing he has become the team’s best player (averaging a team-best 26.8 per game). That development might become even more apparent on the biggest stage.
3. Monty Williams vs Willie Green: Most NBA fans tune in to watch the players, not the coaches. But there are some interesting subplots involving the men on the sidelines. After serving as a Suns assistant coach under Williams for the previous two years, Pelicans head coach Willie Green will square off against his former boss. After serving as a Warriors assistant coach during their 2018 and 2019 playoff matchups against Paul when he played in Houston, Green will coach against Paul once again.
Granted, the series outcome will mostly rely on the players. In this case, the Suns simply have more talent than the Pelicans. But Green has proven himself this season as one of the NBA’s best young coaches. And as it pertain to this series, Green has additional insight into Williams’ schemes and Paul’s habits that at least could help the Pelicans make these games more competitive.
Number to know
47-0 — The Suns were 47-0 when leading after the third quarter this season. They were just the third team in the last *68 seasons to go undefeated after leading through three quarters, and their 47 wins were the most among those three teams. Amazingly, the other two occurrences took place in the last five seasons as well, with the ’17-18 Cavs going 39-0 and the ’19-20 Lakers going 43-0.
* By-quarter scores began being tracked in 1954.
The Suns outscored their opponents by 9.8 points per 100 possessions in the fourth quarter, their best mark for any period and the best fourth-quarter mark for any team in the last five seasons. Their 117.6 points scored per 100 was the best fourth-quarter mark for offensive efficiency in the last 13 seasons.
Johnson (68.5%) and Bridges (59.9%) ranked first and eighth in fourth-quarter effective field goal percentage among 111 players who attempted at least 150 shots in the fourth period. Bridges (21-for-32, 65.6%), Booker (29-for-51, 56.9%) and Paul (25-for-44, 56.8%) were three of just six players who shot better than 55% on at least 30 clutch shots. Playing their best late in games, the Suns had the league’s best record when leading by double digits (54-5), its best record after trailing by double digits (17-18) and its best record in games that were within five points in the last five minutes (33-9). That latter mark was the fourth best in the 26 years for which clutch data is available.
The Pelicans were just 6-39 (tied for the league’s ninth worst record) in the regular season when trailing after the third quarter. But they made it to this series by coming back from 10 down after three in L.A. on Friday, outscoring the Clippers 31-17 in the fourth. As the Suns won three of the four regular season meetings, they outscored the Pels by a total score of 118-96 in the final period.
-John Schuhmann
The pick
Without having its star player all season, New Orleans deserve plenty of credit for still getting this far with its resiliency and team-oriented play. But the Suns have too much depth with their star and role players. They appear fully healthy, too. The Pelicans will put up a good fight, but the Suns are too talented and motivated for this series to last long. Suns in 5.
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Mark Medina is a senior writer/analyst for NBA.com. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on Twitter.
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