Game ID: 22301138
New Orleans Pelicans @ Phoenix Suns
Sunday, April 7, 2024 at 6:00 PM ET
Footprint Center, Phoenix, AZ
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
PHX 26 24 33 22 105NOP 19 37 34 23 113
NOP @ PHX ScoutingNOP @ PHX Scouting
Welcome to the scouting desk. The coffee is cold, the film is play-by-play, and somebody has to explain what happened.
Every game has a hinge — a stretch where it was decided, usually while everyone was watching something else. Start where the evidence lives: the Lineups' face-offs say which five actually won their minutes; the Possessions ledger says who ran ahead of the night's own pace; the Shot Chart says where the points really came from, which is rarely where the highlights were. When all three agree, that is the story. When they don't — that is why this desk has a chair.
PHX availability going into 3/29 · 1 day's restOUT Okogie missed 2 since 3/25, returns tonight: 14 min (88% of 16)
PHX availability going into 4/01 · 2 days' restBACK Okogie back 3/23 after 10, 12 min since (75% of 16)
PHX availability going into 4/03 · 1 day's restBACK Okogie back 3/23 after 10, 12 min since (75% of 16)
PHX availability going into 4/05 · 1 day's restOUT Okogie missed 2 since 4/01, returns tonight: 4 min (26% of 16)
PHX availability going into 4/07 · 1 day's restBACK Okogie back 3/29 after 2, 9 min since (57% of 16)
PHX availability going into 4/09 · 1 day's restBACK Okogie back 3/29 after 2, 9 min since (57% of 16)
PHX availability going into 4/10 · back-to-backBACK Okogie back 4/05 after 2, 3 min since (17% of 16)
PHX availability going into 4/12 · 1 day's restBACK Okogie back 4/05 after 2, 2 min since (14% of 16)
PHX availability going into 4/14 · 1 day's restBACK Okogie back 4/05 after 2, 2 min since (14% of 16)
NOP availability going into 3/30 · 1 day's restOUT Ingram missed 4 since 3/22, out tonight
OUT Daniels missed 21 since 2/10, returns tonight: 11 min (50% of 22)
BACK Ryan back 3/21 after 3, 5 min since (35% of 14)
NEW Nance Jr. 20 to 25 min over the last 5
NOP availability going into 4/01 · 1 day's restOUT Ingram missed 5 since 3/22, out tonight
OUT Alvarado missed 2 since 3/28, out tonight
BACK Daniels back 3/30 after 21, 11 min since (50% of 22)
BACK Ryan back 3/28 after 2, 6 min since (46% of 14)
NEW Jones 31 to 36 min over the last 5
NEW Murphy III 30 to 36 min over the last 5
NEW Nance Jr. 20 to 26 min over the last 5
NOP availability going into 4/03 · 1 day's restOUT Ingram missed 6 since 3/22, out tonight
OUT Alvarado missed 3 since 3/28, out tonight
BACK Daniels back 3/30 after 21, 18 min since (84% of 22)
BACK Ryan back 3/28 after 2, 6 min since (46% of 14)
NEW McCollum 33 to 39 min over the last 5
NEW Williamson 32 to 37 min over the last 5
NEW Murphy III 30 to 36 min over the last 5
NOP availability going into 4/05 · 1 day's restOUT Ingram missed 7 since 3/22, out tonight
OUT Alvarado missed 4 since 3/28, out tonight
BACK Daniels back 3/30 after 21, 19 min since (89% of 22)
BACK Ryan back 3/28 after 2, 4 min since (31% of 14)
NEW McCollum 33 to 40 min over the last 5
NEW Jones 31 to 36 min over the last 5
NEW Murphy III 30 to 37 min over the last 5
NOP availability going into 4/07 · 1 day's restOUT Ingram missed 8 since 3/22, out tonight
OUT Alvarado missed 5 since 3/28, returns tonight: 22 min (122% of 18)
BACK Daniels back 3/30 after 21, 24 min since (110% of 22)
BACK Ryan back 3/28 after 2, 6 min since (43% of 14)
NEW McCollum 33 to 39 min over the last 5
NEW Jones 31 to 38 min over the last 5
NEW Murphy III 30 to 36 min over the last 5
NOP availability going into 4/09 · 1 day's restOUT Ingram missed 9 since 3/22, out tonight
BACK Daniels back 3/30 after 21, 25 min since (114% of 22)
BACK Alvarado back 4/07 after 5, 22 min since (122% of 18)
NEW McCollum 33 to 40 min over the last 5
NEW Williamson 32 to 37 min over the last 4
NEW Jones 31 to 37 min over the last 5
NEW Murphy III 30 to 36 min over the last 5
NOP availability going into 4/11 · 1 day's restOUT Ingram missed 10 since 3/22, out tonight
OUT Marshall missed 2 since 4/07, returns tonight: 4 min (18% of 19)
BACK Alvarado back 4/07 after 5, 21 min since (115% of 18)
NEW McCollum 33 to 39 min over the last 5
NEW Jones 31 to 37 min over the last 5
NEW Murphy III 30 to 36 min over the last 5
NEW Daniels 22 to 28 min over the last 5
NOP availability going into 4/12 · back-to-backOUT Ingram missed 11 since 3/22, out tonight
BACK Marshall back 4/11 after 2, 4 min since (18% of 19)
BACK Alvarado back 4/07 after 5, 21 min since (117% of 18)
NEW McCollum 33 to 39 min over the last 5
NEW Jones 31 to 36 min over the last 5
NEW Murphy III 30 to 39 min over the last 5
NEW Daniels 22 to 28 min over the last 5
NOP availability going into 4/14 · 1 day's restOUT Ingram missed 12 since 3/22, returns tonight: 23 min (71% of 33)
OUT Nance Jr. missed 2 since 4/11, returns tonight: 30 min (152% of 20)
OUT Hawkins missed 2 since 4/11, out tonight
OUT Ryan missed 2 since 4/11, returns tonight: 2 min (16% of 14)
BACK Marshall back 4/11 after 2, 4 min since (18% of 19)
BACK Alvarado back 4/07 after 5, 25 min since (136% of 18)
NEW McCollum 33 to 39 min over the last 5
NEW Murphy III 30 to 40 min over the last 5
NEW Daniels 22 to 29 min over the last 5
I Know — the desk, before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Phoenix comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 110 a night and allowing 105, shooting 47 percent and 41 from three, 19 free throws a game; Booker at 27 and Durant at 26 a game. That is 3 straight wins. It has won the glass by 7 a night. One day's rest. New Orleans comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 105 a night and allowing 111, shooting 45 percent and 35 from three, 23 free throws a game; McCollum at 26 and Williamson at 24 a game. That is 4 straight losses. Without Ingram (8 straight), Alvarado (5 straight). One day's rest.
So: Phoenix wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Phoenix has been plus-7 a night and New Orleans minus-3 and the arc, Phoenix at 41 percent from three to New Orleans's 35. Call it Phoenix 113, New Orleans 109, New Orleans keeping it close.
3/29 @ OKC 103-128 — PHX notes
PHX lost 103-128. PHX shot 45% (39 of 87) to OKC's 56%, 13 of 41 from three. Durant led with 26 (10 of 17, 4 of 7 from three); Beal added 15, Booker 14. Q1 was theirs, 32-34, but the other 3 periods went 94-71 against them. Nurkić's -22 in 23 minutes was the worst on the floor.
4/01 @ NOP 124-111 — PHX notes
PHX won 124-111. PHX shot 49% (43 of 87) to NOP's 47%, 18 of 47 from three. The glass went 49-37 for them. Booker led with 52 (19 of 28, 8 of 16 from three, 6 of 7 at the line); Durant added 20, Nurkić 19. The hinge was Q1, 46-28: from level to 18 ahead, and the lead reached 27. Nurkić was the night's best plus/minus at +19.
4/03 vs CLE 122-101 — PHX notes
PHX won 122-101. PHX shot 51% (44 of 87) to CLE's 47%, 18 of 33 from three. Booker led with 40 (13 of 25, 5 of 9 from three, 9 of 9 at the line); Durant added 32, O'Neale 17. The hinge was Q1, 34-20: from level to 14 ahead, and the lead reached 28. Gordon was the night's best plus/minus at +26.
4/05 vs MIN 97-87 — PHX notes
PHX won 97-87. PHX shot 43% (33 of 76) to MIN's 39%, 9 of 26 from three, and went to the line 29 times to MIN's 14 — 22 points from the stripe to their 11. Allen led with 23 (6 of 14, 4 of 8 from three, 7 of 8 at the line); Durant added 22, Beal 14. The hinge was Q1, 32-20: from level to 12 ahead, and the lead reached 23. Durant was the night's best plus/minus at +22.
4/07 vs NOP 105-113 — PHX notes
PHX lost 105-113. PHX shot 45% (39 of 87) to NOP's 47%, 14 of 39 from three. Beal led with 33 (13 of 19, 7 of 8 from three); Booker added 25, Durant 23. Q1 was theirs, 26-19, but the other 3 periods went 94-79 against them. They led by as many as 13. Durant's -12 in 38 minutes was the worst on the floor.
4/09 vs LAC — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Phoenix comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 110 a night and allowing 108, shooting 47 percent and 39 from three, 20 free throws a game; Booker at 29 and Durant at 25 a game. It has won the glass by 4 a night. One day's rest. The Clippers come in 4-1 over their last five, scoring 116 a night and allowing 109, shooting 48 percent and 37 from three, 27 free throws a game; George at 28 and Powell at 15 a game. That is 3 straight wins. Without Leonard (4 straight). One day's rest.
So: Phoenix wins, and the game turns on the line, where the Clippers take 27 free throws a game to Phoenix's 20 and the turnovers, Phoenix giving it away 15 times a game to the Clippers' 12. Call it Phoenix 113, the Clippers 112, the Clippers keeping it close.
4/10 @ LAC — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
The Clippers come in 4-1 over their last five, scoring 111 a night and allowing 104, shooting 46 percent and 37 from three, 22 free throws a game; George at 24 and Harden at 15 a game. That is 4 straight wins. They have won the glass by 5 a night. Without Leonard (5 straight), Theis (2 straight). Second night of a back-to-back. Phoenix comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 108 a night and allowing 103, shooting 44 percent and 37 from three, 23 free throws a game; Booker at 28 and Durant at 24 a game. Second night of a back-to-back.
So: The Clippers win, and the game turns on the glass, where the Clippers have been plus-5 a night and Phoenix minus-1. Call it the Clippers 112, Phoenix 109, Phoenix keeping it close.
4/12 @ SAC — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Sacramento comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 109 a night and allowing 109, shooting 43 percent and 36 from three, 17 free throws a game; Fox at 31 and Murray at 16 a game. Second night of a back-to-back. Phoenix comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 108 a night and allowing 103, shooting 44 percent and 37 from three, 21 free throws a game; Booker at 25 and Durant at 24 a game. One day's rest.
So: Phoenix wins, on the road, and the game turns on the glass, where Sacramento has been plus-3 a night and Phoenix minus-3 and the defense, Phoenix allowing 103 a night to Sacramento's 109. Call it Phoenix 112, Sacramento 111, Sacramento keeping it close.
4/14 @ MIN — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Minnesota comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 112 a night and allowing 111, shooting 47 percent and 38 from three, 22 free throws a game; Edwards at 27 and Gobert at 16 a game. One day's rest. Phoenix comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 105 a night and allowing 104, shooting 44 percent and 34 from three, 21 free throws a game; Durant at 24 and Beal at 22 a game. One day's rest.
So: Minnesota wins, and the game turns on the defense, Phoenix allowing 104 a night to Minnesota's 111. Call it Minnesota 112, Phoenix 108, Phoenix keeping it close.
3/30 vs BOS 92-104 — NOP notes
NOP lost 92-104. NOP shot 40% (34 of 86) to BOS's 48%, 13 of 35 from three, and went to the line 18 times to BOS's 12 — 11 points from the stripe to their 11. The glass went 41-51 against them. Williamson led with 25 (9 of 17, 7 of 14 at the line); McCollum added 24, Jones 18. Q1 was theirs, 37-28, but the other 3 periods went 76-55 against them. They led by as many as 11. Nance Jr.'s -11 in 21 minutes was the worst on the floor.
4/01 vs PHX 111-124 — NOP notes
NOP lost 111-124. NOP shot 47% (42 of 89) to PHX's 49%, 11 of 27 from three. The glass went 37-49 against them. Williamson led with 30 (10 of 20, 10 of 13 at the line); Murphy III added 21, McCollum 15. Q3 was theirs, 36-29, the deficit cut from 20 to 13, but the other 3 periods went 95-75 against them. Williamson's -20 in 37 minutes was the worst on the floor.
4/03 vs ORL 108-117 — NOP notes
NOP lost 108-117. NOP shot 47% (36 of 76) to ORL's 51%, 12 of 29 from three. McCollum led with 36 (10 of 24, 5 of 12 from three, 11 of 11 at the line); Daniels added 16, Williamson 15. Q4 was theirs, 32-26, the deficit cut from 15 to 9, but the other 3 periods went 91-76 against them. Daniels's -19 in 21 minutes was the worst on the floor.
4/05 vs SAS 109-111 — NOP notes
NOP lost 109-111. NOP shot 51% (44 of 86) to SAS's 51%, 9 of 29 from three. McCollum led with 31 (13 of 29, 4 of 12 from three); Valančiūnas added 26, Murphy III 16. Q1 was theirs, 27-18, but the other 3 periods went 93-82 against them. They led by as many as 15.
4/07 @ PHX 113-105 — NOP notes
NOP won 113-105. NOP shot 47% (40 of 85) to PHX's 45%, 16 of 39 from three. McCollum led with 31 (12 of 22, 7 of 12 from three); Williamson added 29, Alvarado 15. The hinge was Q2, 37-24: NOP came in trailing by 7 and left it ahead by 6. McCollum was the night's best plus/minus at +19.
4/09 @ POR — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Portland comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 98 a night and allowing 112, shooting 41 percent and 30 from three, 15 free throws a game; Ayton at 24 and Banton at 20 a game. It has won the glass by 8 a night. Without Simons (8 straight), Sharpe (41 straight), Thybulle (4 straight). One day's rest. New Orleans comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 107 a night and allowing 112, shooting 46 percent and 38 from three, 20 free throws a game; McCollum at 27 and Williamson at 25 a game. Without Ingram (9 straight). One day's rest.
So: New Orleans wins, on the road, and the game turns on the glass, where Portland has been plus-8 a night and New Orleans minus-3 and the arc, New Orleans at 38 percent from three to Portland's 30. Call it New Orleans 111, Portland 108, Portland keeping it close.
4/11 @ SAC — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Sacramento comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 106 a night and allowing 101, shooting 41 percent and 34 from three, 18 free throws a game; Fox at 28 and Murray at 16 a game. It has won the glass by 8 a night. One day's rest. New Orleans comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 110 a night and allowing 111, shooting 47 percent and 37 from three, 22 free throws a game; McCollum at 28 and Williamson at 24 a game. Without Ingram (10 straight), Marshall (2 straight). One day's rest.
So: Sacramento wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Sacramento has been plus-8 a night and New Orleans minus-1 and the defense, Sacramento allowing 101 a night to New Orleans's 111. Call it Sacramento 112, New Orleans 109, New Orleans keeping it close.
4/12 @ GSW — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Golden State comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 118 a night and allowing 108, shooting 52 percent and 45 from three, 18 free throws a game; Thompson at 26 and Curry at 26 a game. That is 3 straight wins. It has won the glass by 7 a night. Second night of a back-to-back. New Orleans comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 115 a night and allowing 111, shooting 49 percent and 40 from three, 21 free throws a game; McCollum at 32 and Williamson at 24 a game. That is 3 straight wins. Without Ingram (11 straight). Second night of a back-to-back.
So: Golden State wins, and the game turns on the arc, Golden State at 45 percent from three to New Orleans's 40 and the glass, where Golden State has been plus-7 a night and New Orleans plus-3. Call it Golden State 116, New Orleans 112, New Orleans keeping it close.
4/14 vs LAL — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
New Orleans comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 116 a night and allowing 110, shooting 49 percent and 43 from three, 19 free throws a game; McCollum at 30 and Williamson at 27 a game. That is 4 straight wins. Without Ingram (12 straight), Nance Jr. (2 straight), Hawkins (2 straight). One day's rest. The Lakers come in 3-2 over their last five, scoring 120 a night and allowing 120, shooting 50 percent and 36 from three, 27 free throws a game; James at 30 and Davis at 24 a game. Without Vanderbilt (31 straight), Wood (25 straight). One day's rest.
So: New Orleans wins, and the game turns on the arc, New Orleans at 43 percent from three to the Lakers' 36 and the defense, New Orleans allowing 110 a night to the Lakers' 120. Call it New Orleans 118, the Lakers 114, the Lakers keeping it close.
Who is who
the initials in the Players column
NOPCM C. McCollum
DD D. Daniels
HJ H. Jones
JA J. Alvarado
JV J. Valančiūnas
LN L. Nance Jr.
TM T. Murphy III
ZW Z. Williamson
PHXBB B. Beal
BB B. Bol
DB D. Booker
DE D. Eubanks
EG E. Gordon
GA G. Allen
JN J. Nurkić
KD K. Durant
NU Nurkic
RO R. O'Neale
NOP/PHX the team itself, not a player
-- the feed named nobody
What
What happened
the codes in the Events column
M2 / M3 made 2 / made 3
X2 / X3 missed 2 / missed 3
FT / X1 free throw made / missed
AST assist
OR / DR offensive / defensive rebound
STL steal
BLK block
TO turnover
FL foul
OF offensive foul — ends the possession
VIOL violation
JUMP jump ball
TM timeout
IR instant replay
HE heave at the buzzer, filed to the team
END the clock ran out, ball in hand
Where
Where a shot came from
the middle field of M3.LW.25
RM at the rim inside 4 ft
RC right corner
RW right wing
SO straight on
LW left wing
LC left corner
M3.LW.25 made 3, left wing, 25 ft
X2.RM.01 missed 2, at the rim, 1 ft
When
When it happened
the Offset column
one number per event, in the Events order:
whole seconds from the start of the
possession to that event
Events FL X3.RC.23 OR M2.RM.01
Offset 0 18 22 24
the foul opens the possession at 0s;
the putback ends it at 24s, which is
the possession's own Dur
McCollum, Williamson help Pelicans beat Suns 113-105, leaving teams tied for 6th
PHOENIX -- — C.J. McCollum scored 31 points, Zion Williamson had 29 and the New Orleans Pelicans beat the Phoenix Suns 113-105 on Sunday, leaving the teams tied for the sixth and final guaranteed Western Conference playoff spot.
Both teams are 46-32 with four games remaining, two games behind fifth-place Dallas. The Suns own the tiebreaker, having won the season series 2-1.
Williamson, who sat out Friday night in a loss at San Antonio because of a finger injury, scored 12 points in the fourth quarter. For the game he had 10 rebounds, seven assists and a career-high five blocked shots.
“He’s been getting better defensively as the season has progressed," Pelicans coach Willie Green said about Williamson. "He was everywhere, guarding the ball, blocking shots, coming up with big offensive rebounds, attacking the basket, making his free throws.”
Suns coach Frank Vogel agreed: “He dominated the game on both sides of the ball. Exceptional performance.”
“I was locked into the game plan. They got special players," Williamson said. "I felt like if I was guarding one of them late in the game I could give my team energy.”
The Pelicans snapped a four-game losing streak and moved to 25-14 on the road. Their next three games are also away from home before finishing at home next Sunday against the Los Angeles Lakers .
Jose Alvarado , back after missing five games with a strained oblique, made five 3-pointers and finished with 15 points. Trey Murphy scored 13 points and Dyson Daniels had 10 points. Larry Nance Jr . contributed nine points, eight rebounds, seven assists and three steals.
“Those guys are resilient, and they know what we’re playing for," Green said about his team. "This team has beat us twice with Booker hitting incredible shots and we wanted to come out and play with a level of toughness that we know is up to our standards. That’s what we did.”
Devin Booker scored 25 points for Phoenix but was 0 for 6 from 3-point range. In his previous three games against the Pelicans, he scored 50 or more points, including a 52-point game Monday night in New Orleans.
Vogel chalked some of that up to “playoff intensity."
"They fouled him, every time he took a step, they were grabbing him and that led to some of the turnovers.”
Bradley Beal led Phoenix with 33 points, making 7 of 8 3-pointers — the rest of the Suns combined for seven. Kevin Durant scored 23 points and Grayson Allen finished with 11. Jusuf Nurkic had 10 rebounds.
The Suns saw a three-game winning streak end. They’re 7-3 in their last 10 games.
New Orleans got off to a slow start, missing its first seven 3-point tries. But McCollum made five and Alvarado four before the first half ended, and the Pelicans were 11 of 24 from behind the arc at intermission. They finished 16 of 39.
The Pelicans again played without Brandon Ingram , out since March 21 with a left knee contusion.
Wilt Chamberlain is the only other player with 50-plus points against the same opponent three games in a row, doing it in 1961-62 for the Philadelphia Warriors against the New York Knicks .
Only two fouls were called in the first quarter, both on the Pelicans. Jusuf Nurkic committed the Suns’ first foul of the game with 7:45 to play in the second quarter.
With 1:13 left in the third quarter, Booker and Daniels exchanged shoves after Booker was called for an offensive foul. After review. Each player was assessed a technical foul.