Grayson Allen‘s Historic Night Propels Phoenix Suns to Dominating Victory Over Pelicans
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The Phoenix Suns extended their winning streak to three games with a decisive 121-98 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans at the Mortgage Matchup Center, fueled by a record-breaking performance from Grayson Allen. The guard delivered a career night, setting a new franchise record with 10 three-pointers made adn scoring a personal-best 42 points, igniting a fervent atmosphere that included “MVP” chants from the home crowd. With the win, the Suns improve to 6-5 on the season, surpassing .500 and demonstrating momentum as they continue their pursuit of success.
Though, the Suns gradually found their footing, closing the first period with a 29-22 advantage. Despite the lead, shooting woes continued, with the team converting only 2 of 11 attempts from beyond the arc.
allen Ignites a Second Quarter Surge
The second quarter witnessed a dramatic shift in momentum as the Suns exploded offensively. A fast 11-3 run, sparked by a pair of three-pointers from Allen, forced a timeout from New Orleans coach Willie Green. The offensive onslaught continued, culminating in a 22-5 run that extended Phoenix’s lead to 20 points. The Suns entered halftime with a commanding 64-41 lead,largely thanks to Allen’s 18 points and a team-total of 16 assists. New Orleans struggled to keep pace, shooting below 40% from the field. Notably, coach Jordan Ott utilized all 11 players in the first half, showcasing the team’s depth.
Dominance Continues in the Third
Phoenix continued to assert its dominance in the third quarter, quickly extending its advantage to 30+ points. Carrying a 73-41 lead into the first timeout of the second half,the Suns appeared poised for a comfortable victory. New Orleans attempted to disrupt the Suns’ offense by switching to a zone defence, briefly trimming the deficit to 25 before Ott called a timeout.Allen continued his stellar performance, surpassing his season-high of 29 points with seven minutes remaining in the quarter and finishing the period with an impressive 35 points – significantly more than any other player on either team, with Booker trailing at 19. The Suns entered the fourth quarter with a significant 96-72 lead.
Fourth Quarter Seal and Jalen Green Update
The fourth quarter began with a flurry of baskets from Allen, pushing him over the 40-point mark for just the second time in his career.Phoenix maintained a comfortable 103-82 lead at the eight-minute timeout,allowing coach Ott to rotate in bench players,including rookies Rasheer Fleming and Khaman Maluach,for valuable playing time. The Pelicans were unable to mount a significant comeback against the suns’ overwhelming advantage,and Phoenix secured a comfortable victory.
Top performers for the night included Booker (19 points, 0 rebounds, 3 assists), allen (42 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists), and Trey Murphy of the Pelicans (21 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists).
Ahead of the game, coach Ott provided an update on injured guard Jalen Green, stating, “Obviously he’s out tonight.I think where we’re at right now is he’s going through multiple tests to see exactly what’s going on.So [he’s] out tonight, we’ll give you further updates when we get them, as soon as we get them.” He further elaborated, “He’s had testing – that’s where we’ll be. I think it’s going to be a little bit till we gather all the information.So he’s obviously gone under testing. I think we’ll take all the information that we can get at this point. When these things happen I think you look at everything.So it’ll be a little bit of time. That’s why we want to give some grace here, just a little bit of time till we gather all the information so we get it out to you to know exactly what’s going on.”
Allen’s historic performance and the Suns’ dominant team effort signal a turning point for the team as they continue their pursuit of success this season.
