On April 20, Beijing time, the NBA playoffs were still in full swing. The Phoenix Suns, who once maintained the league's supremacy in the regular season, taught the New Orleans Pelicans a lesson in the first game of the playoffs. Halfway through the game, the Suns took a 19-point lead and beat the Pelicans to no return. However, we also have to admit that although the Pelicans entered the playoffs as the eighth seeded player in the West, they also showed the resilience of the team in the second half.
In just one game, we may have found the gap between the Pelicans and the Suns, but the Pelicans' invaluable resilience, why not have something to see? It is no exaggeration to say that if it were not for Paul's performance as the king of the final quarter and the crucial 19 points, the Suns may not have won the game so easily. This time ushered in the G2 showdown of the series, and the Pelicans will inevitably continue to work the offensive end. So, how exactly are they in this field?
At the beginning of the game, the Pelicans continued to amplify their advantage in rebounding on the inside line, constantly putting pressure on the Suns' interior line. At the same time, Ingram sent 11 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists in the first quarter of 12 minutes to alleviate the overall scoring pressure of the team. With the double blow achieved on the defensive end and the offensive end, the Pelicans actually played a 30-28 score in the first quarter, achieving a feat of domination and taking the lead.
Sadly, Devin Booker also played 12 minutes of playing in the first quarter, sending 16 points of explosive stats, but did not help establish a lead. Entering the second quarter showdown, Devin Booker once again showed his team leader style, shooting 3 of 4 from three points in a single quarter, shooting 6 of 8 from the field, and delivering a key 15 points and 1 rebound, helping the team play a 33-26 score, not only chasing back the 2 points behind in the first quarter, but also achieving a reversal of the score in the first half with a score of 61-56 in the first half.
Playing just 17 minutes in the first half, Devin Booker sent a crucial 31 points and a 1 assist for 2 rebounds with an efficient shooting rate of 7 of 10 from three points and 12 of 18 shooting, which was truly breathtaking. It is no exaggeration to say that if it were not for Devon Booker coming forward, the Suns would not have been able to achieve a reversal of the score. Yes, although Paul sent 7 assists in the first half, effectively connecting the team's overall offense, the shooting rate of 5 shots and 1 was still slightly chicken, which did not alleviate the pressure on the team's scoring end.
Not only that, the contribution of starting center Ayton on the scoring end is also not good, with only 4 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists, and it has not shown the style of the previous inside pie king. However, we also have to admit that Devin Booker helped stabilize the situation, and the Suns were still in the lead at this time. As long as Paul and Ayton and others can play the data performance that the starting core should have in the second half of the competition, it is obviously more likely to win the game.