Pelicans (4-11), Suns (7-8)
PHOENIX – After an extraordinarily frustrating first dozen games to open the 2015-16 regular season, the momentum and a few breaks finally seem to be turning in New Orleans’ favor. The Pelicans captured their third straight win Wednesday, this time rallying from a 17-point deficit to overtake the Suns. As the buzzer sounded, signaling the end of New Orleans’ big comeback, Alvin Gentry – who previously coached in Phoenix during the franchise’s stellar previous decade – pumped a fist to begin celebrating the victory. The Pelicans trailed 46-29 at one stage of the second quarter, but put together an extended 43-20 run to move in front 72-66. From there, it was a nip-and-tuck, back-and-forth battle with the Suns, who answered every Pelicans run until the final two minutes. New Orleans sank a series of free throws to seal the victory, after taking a 114-112 lead on Anthony Davis’ putback score off a Jrue Holiday close-range miss.
IT WAS OVER WHEN…
Phoenix’s Jon Leuer unloaded an airball three-pointer in a desperation situation, giving New Orleans the ball with a 118-114 lead in the final seconds. Eric Gordon walked to the other end and sank two free throws to make it a six-point margin. Holiday sank four clutch free throws to keep the Pelicans in the lead, first making it 116-112 and later creating the 118-114 score.
PELICANS PLAYER OF THE GAME
So many viable options here – four different New Orleans players scored 20-plus points, while Holiday nearly reached that number as well, totaling 19. Sure, he may have had a slow-by-his-standards start to this season, but Davis has been on a rampage lately. Capped by the go-ahead bucket, the biggest play of the game Wednesday, the two-time All-Star racked up 26 points and 17 rebounds. Among the quintet of Pelicans who produced big scoring games, Davis was the most efficient, sinking 11 of his 14 attempts from the field.
PELICANS UNSUNG CONTRIBUTOR
Gentry made note after the buzzer of Dante Cunningham’s defensive contributions; the forward twice had to come in the game unexpectedly early due to Alonzo Gee’s foul trouble. Cunningham finished with five points and seven rebounds, canning a key fourth-quarter trey that was part of a 62-point half for the Pelicans. Phoenix began the game hot from the field but eventually cooled and finished the game at 45.8 percent from the field and 10/26 on threes. The NOLA bench compiled 52 points, with Ish Smith notching the first 20-10 game of his NBA career (he had 20 points, 11 assists) and Ryan Anderson also dropping in 20 points. It was Anderson’s fifth consecutive game of 20-plus points.
*Tyreke Evans was activated Wednesday but did not play in the game for the Pelicans. The guard does expect to return at some point during the team’s current road trip. “It’s definitely going to happen real soon,” Evans said Tuesday of playing in his first game. “I feel confident that my knee is getting stronger, just from the surgery and the time off.”
