Game Preview
The Phoenix Suns (12-8) ride into New Orleans on a modest two-game winning streak, looking to extend their recent success against the struggling Pelicans (4-18). While the Suns have hovered around a 60% win rate this season, averaging 112.7 points per game, New Orleans has stumbled to just four wins while enduring a nightmarish nine-game slide.
Offense has been a major issue for the Pelicans, who rank near the bottom of the league averaging just 103.3 points on 43.4% shooting. They've been even worse lately, failing to crack 102 points over their last 10 games while shooting a paltry 42.5% from the field. New Orleans' three-point shooting has been particularly anemic at 29.6% over that stretch.
In contrast, the Suns have heated up from deep of late, draining 40.6% of their threes over the last five games. They've also assisted on nearly 29 baskets per game while playing a typically disciplined brand of basketball with just 12.8 turnovers per contest. Phoenix's balanced attack has seen them eclipse 116 points per game during this recent stretch.
While the Pelicans continue to claw for answers amid a frustrating campaign, the Suns look poised to keep rolling behind their potent offense and stingy defense that has held opponents under 113 points per game this year. New Orleans may need to rediscover its shooting touch to hang with the surging Suns in this matchup.