The New Orleans Pelicans have gotten hot, relatively speaking, and Zion Williamson is leading the charge. Williamson messed around and got his first career triple-double with 27 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists as the Pelicans earned a 124-116 win over the Phoenix Suns on Thursday night, extending their winning streak to three games.
New Orleans, which hadn’t won on the road since beating the Chicago Bulls on Jan. 14, came into Phoenix and controlled the game down the stretch, overcoming a second-half surge from the Suns.
The Pelicans started fast, sprinting to an 18-point lead early in the second quarter. But, behind Devin Booker and Kevin Durant, the Suns responded. Phoenix stormed back to grab a 62-61 lead at halftime and held a 91-88 advantage after three quarters.
Then, New Orleans took over. Zion set the tone in the fourth quarter, scoring in the paint at will, while the Pelicans locked in defensively. At the same time, the Suns went ice cold from deep, hitting just two of their 14 three-pointers in the final period.
The dagger may have come from rookie Karlo Matkovic, who has been making the most of his recent opportunities, when he drilled a corner three with 3:24 left to push the Pelicans’ lead to 116-108. Matkovic finished with an impressive 17 points and 10 rebounds, while fellow rookie Yves Missi added 11 points and 10 boards of his own. The recent emergence of Matkovic has been another bright spot for the Pelicans, as he proves he deserves consistent minutes in the current rotation. The Pelicans must see if his combination of size, shooting, and energy will continue to make an impact.
Beyond Zion’s dominance, New Orleans got contributions from up and down the roster. CJ McCollum dropped 19 points, Trey Murphy III hit five threes en route to 18 points, and the Pelicans had all five starters in double figures. Jose Alvarado and Jordan Hawkins provided key bench scoring as well.
Phoenix, on the other hand, relied heavily on Booker, who finished with 36 points, seven rebounds, and nine assists, while Durant added 28. But even with those two stars carrying the load, the Suns couldn’t get the job done. They’ve now lost seven of their last eight, and are getting farther away from securing a spot in the playoffs.
For the Pelicans, the biggest storyline was Zion’s evolution as a complete player. As he recorded his first career triple-double, his decision-making throughout the game kept his teammates involved while still allowing him to dominate inside. His 11 assists tied a career high, a sign that his game continues to grow. With their third straight win, New Orleans has now matched its longest winning streak of the season and is playing with confidence. If they can keep this up, they could be a dangerous spoiler down the stretch.
The Pelicans will look to complete the two-game sweep of Phoenix when they meet again on Friday night. If Zion and company keep playing at this level, it could be another long night for the Suns.
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