Suns

New Orleans showed plenty of progress without franchise centerpiece Zion Williamson, pushing the top-seeded Phoenix Suns to six games before losing in their ...

“He had the talent and the ability, and now he had the stage to show what he had to offer. The table is set nicely for Williamson, who has thrived as a paint-dominating playmaker when healthy, to pick up where he left off on his quest to be one of the faces of the sport. At this time last year, there were real questions about whether New Orleans could assemble a quality supporting cast to satisfy Williamson, who is on his third coach in three seasons and is eligible for a maximum rookie contract extension this summer. Profile: Chiney Ogwumike is on a tireless quest to have it all. Not to be outdone, Jones poked free a steal in the third quarter of Game 6, weaving through multiple defenders with a behind-the-back dribble before finishing a transition layup to loud applause. McCollum’s arrival helped power a late-season push that helped New Orleans sneak into the play-in mix. Last year, Valanciunas played for the Memphis Grizzlies, McCollum played for the Portland Trail Blazers and both Jones and Alvarado were still in college. In the tense closing minutes, Chris Paul found Deandre Ayton for a lob, Devin Booker drained a clutch three-pointer and defensive stopper Mikal Bridges converted a steal into a transition bucket in an end-to-end sequence that made mild-mannered Suns Coach Monty Williams jump for joy. New Orleans nearly forced a Game 7 but was undone by poor outside shooting and Phoenix’s veteran savvy. The Suns advanced to the second round, where they will face the Dallas Mavericks. There was Jonas Valanciunas, a bruising center with slicked-back hair and sharp elbows. But an entirely different story emerged: Without their megastar forward, the Pelicans remade themselves into never-say-die underdogs who gave the top-seeded Suns all they could handle in the first round before finally falling, 115-109, in Game 6.

Chris Paul went 14 for 14 in the best shooting night in NBA playoff history, Devin Booker returned from a hamstring injury to hit a late 3-pointer and the ...

? The Pelicans outrebounded the Suns 279-215 in six playoff games. Paul had 13 points in the quarter, but New Orleans used an 11-5 run to take an 85-82 lead into the final period. The Suns erased the 10-point halftime deficit by making 13 of their first 14 shots in the third quarter to take a 77-74 lead.

Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker returned for his team's Game 6 against the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday night after missing the past three games with a ...

"He won't play his normal 36, 38, 40 workload, but it still gives you a bit more balance." "It's hard this time of the year to mimic an NBA game," Williams said of what led to Booker's return. "He's been on the floor with (Suns assistant coach) Jarrett Jack a few times.

Williams said he believes Booker was injured running back on defense. Booker missed seven games in December with a left hamstring injury. The Suns were 5-2 ...

The Pelicans need someone to step up in Game 6. The Pelicans need someone to step up in Game 6. Devin Booker returned to the court after missing the past three games due to a strained hamstring.

The Suns and Mavericks will meet in the second round of the playoffs. Can Luka Doncic lead a Dallas upset?

Otherwise, a team like the Mavericks is built to take advantage. In holding opponents to 109.1 points per 100 possessions in the regular season, only six teams had a better defensive rating than Dallas. In Game 3, both Chris Paul (28 points, 14 assists) and Deandre Ayton (28 points, 17 rebounds) stepped up to give the Suns a 2-1 series lead. It was later revealed to be a Grade 1 right hamstring strain, an injury that usually sidelines players for 14-21 days. The Mavericks, who beat the Jazz in six games even with Luka Doncic not being available for the entire series. It took longer than many expected, but the Suns defeated the Pelicans in six games to advance.

The Phoenix Suns and New Orleans Pelicans have announced their injury reports (as of 2:30 Eastern Time) for Game 6 in Louisiana.

Game 6 will be played in New Orleans on Thursday evening.CLICK HERE. A win for the Suns in Game 6 ends the series, while a win for the Pelicans forces a Game 7 back in Arizona. The key in the series has been the young and hungry Pelicans unwillingness to back down, and the fact that the Suns have been without All-Star Devin Booker since the middle of Game 2.

The star guard has missed the last three games during Phoenix's first-round series against New Orleans.

He scored 25 points with eight assists in 41 minutes during Phoenix’s 110-99–win in Game 1. He scored 31 points in only 25 minutes in that game before the injury, shooting 12-for-19 from the field. Phoenix star guard Devin Booker will play against New Orleans on Thursday night, coach Monty Williams said shortly before tipoff.

The Phoenix Suns beat the New Orleans Pelicans, 115-109, and won the first round of the 2022 NBA playoffs. Chris Paul was perfect from the field, 14-14, ...

It was called a block on the floor, but Williams challenged and it was overturned. Booker showed up big late in this one with a clutch three, outstanding defense against Ingram, and some made free throws to seal the deal. By this point, Paul had 23 points on 10-10 shooting with 13 in the 5:51 third quarter minutes alone. McCollum single-handedly extended it back out to 10 before Paul gave McCollum his fourth foul on a rip-through. His porous play — despite a foul drawn as well — led to a Pelicans run to end the half, when they led 58-48. The Phoenix offense was humming to begin this one, starting with a Crowder three, two Paul middies, an Ayton middy, and a Booker middy. Suns had very quickly cut the deficit to just 5. Ayton continued to force his way inside and looked a lot more aggressive than he normally does. Ayton had 10 points on 4-4 shooting in the first eight minutes alone. McCollum was given a flagrant foul one for his actions. Having Booker back makes things so much easier, and it was clear especially as Jose Alvarado was doing all his full-court press antics. Close to the end of the frame, CJ McCollum quite literally football tackled Cam Johnson on a breakaway, leaving Cam holding his head on the floor.

Two Pelicans fans tried to troll Jae Crowder ahead of Game 6, but Crowder got the last laugh after the Suns won in New Orleans.

The Suns now await the winner between the Dallas Mavericks and Utah Jazz as the Pelicans prepare for the 2022 offseason. That happened in the first-round series between the No. 1 Phoenix Suns and No. 8 New Orleans Pelicans in the 2022 NBA Playoffs. Crowder did just that during Game 4 in New Orleans, when Pelicans fans started to chant “F*** Jae Crowder” in a 118-103 win inside Smoothie King Center.

Chris Paul shot a flawless 14-for-14 from the field for 33 points to lead the Suns past the Pelicans 115-109.

The Pelicans need someone to step up in Game 6. The Pelicans need someone to step up in Game 6. Devin Booker returned to the court after missing the past three games due to a strained hamstring.

The Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavericks are set to meet in the second round starting Monday. It's their first playoff meeting since 2006.

Luka Doncic, Dallas' star from Slovenia, missed the first three games of the Utah series because of a lingering calf strain. The Mavericks won in the first round for the first time since since winning the 2011 NBA championship. The Mavs' reward was their first trip to the NBA Finals, where they lost to Shaquille O'Neal, Dwayne Wade and the Miami Heat in six games. In the clinching game played in Phoenix, the Mavericks had to erase an 18-point deficit. It's considered a big reason why Kidd was traded after the season to the then-New Jersey Nets. The only game in Dallas was on Jan. 20, with Phoenix prevailing 109-101.

Short of a title, perfection, however, might be hard to beat. Paul was 14 for 14 — the most field goals without a miss in an NBA playoff game — in the Phoenix ...

Paul had 13 points in the quarter, but New Orleans used an 11-5 run to take an 85-82 lead into the final period. The Suns erased the 10-point halftime deficit by making 13 of their first 14 shots in the third quarter to take a 77-74 lead. Suns: Williams said Booker ramped up his conditioning while nursing a hamstring injury by playing one-on-one with assistant coach Jarrett Jack in the last several days. “All that pressure they’ve been doing against us the whole series, especially the last three games, was tough. “This is probably No. 1 because it just happened, and I knew how special New Orleans is to him. Suns coach Monty Williams said it was difficult to rank Paul’s achievements as a scorer, leader and game manager.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Chris Paul has accomplished so many things in his 17 NBA seasons that it's nearly impossible to rank his Mount Rushmore moments.

Paul had 13 points in the quarter, but New Orleans used an 11-5 run to take an 85-82 lead into the final period. The Suns erased the 10-point halftime deficit by making 13 of their first 14 shots in the third quarter to take a 77-74 lead. Suns: Williams said Booker ramped up his conditioning while nursing a hamstring injury by playing one-on-one with assistant coach Jarrett Jack in the last several days. “All that pressure they’ve been doing against us the whole series, especially the last three games, was tough. “This is probably No. 1 because it just happened, and I knew how special New Orleans is to him. Suns coach Monty Williams said it was difficult to rank Paul’s achievements as a scorer, leader and game manager.

Chris Paul shot a playoff-record 14-for-14, scoring 33 points to lead the Suns to a 115-109 series-ending win over the Pelicans in Game 6.

A superb mid-ranger operator, Paul didn’t even take a shot at the rim! Wilt Chamberlain holds the regular-season record 18-for-18. He has driven teammates mad over the years with his intense intolerance for mistakes.

Chris Paul shot a perfect 14-of-14 from the field to help the Phoenix Suns close out their opening round playoff series with a 115-109 Game 6 win over the ...

"It's a good win for us, there's a reason why he's the coach here. In the Eastern Conference, the Philadelphia 76ers advanced to the conference semis with a comfortable 132-97 win over the Toronto Raptors. On his return from a hamstring injury suffered in Game 2 of the series, Suns shooting guard Devin Booker put up 13 points, five rebounds and three assists, while center Deandre Ayton had a bright night with 22 points, seven rebounds and four assists.

Superstars Devin Booker and Luka Doncic each missed three games of their respective first-round series, but both returned right on time to lead the Phoenix Suns ...

And with their win in Game 6 in New Orleans on Thursday, the Suns are now 35-10 (.777) in games that were within five points in the last five minutes. The Suns won’t shut down Doncic entirely … they can’t. Besides, they’ve also got to deal with Brunson and Spencer Dinwiddie — who broke out of a first-round shooting slump in a major way in Game 6 against Utah — as well as clutch shooter Finney-Smith. Expect plenty of big nights production-wise from Doncic. But when the games are on the line, look for the veteran Paul to take control and carry Phoenix back to the West finals. Dallas is 25-18 in clutch games after their Game 6 win in Utah, but ranked 27th in clutch defense (117.8 points allowed per 100 possessions) in the regular season. Dallas has just two true centers on its roster in Dwight Powell (who suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon in 2020) and Boban Marjanovic. Neither of them is athletic enough to consistently defend Ayton, who has a Hall of Fame point guard in Paul to deliver the ball inside. You can expect the Suns to employ multiple strategies to neutralize the playmaking Doncic. Mavericks forward Dorian Finney-Smith likely takes on the role of stopper against Booker, who led the Suns in scoring in each of their regular-season wins over Dallas. An All-Defensive Team candidate, Finney-Smith can effectively guard every position on the floor. 17.4 — The Mavs ranked last in pace in the regular season, averaging just 95.6 possessions per 48 minutes. And their series against the Jazz was the slowest-paced series of the first round, with the two teams averaging just 91.3 possessions per 48. In this series, we’ve got two of the league’s very best in that department so far in the postseason. The Suns finished the regular season with the league’s best mark (33-9) in clutch games, while Dallas won 57.9% of its outings under those circumstances. Booker sat out Games 3-5 before returning to contribute 13 points in the Suns’ closeout victory. For Dallas, Doncic suffered a strained left calf in the regular-season finale that sidelined the guard for the team’s first three games against Utah. Doncic returned for the final three contests, finishing Game 6 with his franchise-leading 12th career 20-5-5 postseason outing in a 98-96 win over the Jazz in his first playoff series victory. After a run of six consecutive first-round playoff series losses, Dallas advances past the opening round for the first time since capturing the 2011 NBA title.

The Sixers, Suns and Mavericks all punched their tickets to the second round of the NBA playoffs with wins over the Raptors, Pelicans and Jazz, respectively ...

But Dallas is 0-7….not many of those looks have been well contested either.— Tony Jones (@Tjonesonthenba) April 29, 2022 The teams have combined to shoot 8-for-23 so far. Through the first five games of the series, I've written and felt that Dallas has more answers and solutions against things the Jazz do well than Utah has against them. Dallas is at 30 percent and has missed all 10 of their 3s. Dallas leads, 34-33, halfway through the second quarter. You can't win if you can't score, and the Mavs haven't been able to find it so far. It's the first time Jazz have broken 30 points in the paint in the first half of a game this series. The Mavericks went small, and the Jazz haven't been able to guard the lineup at all. In the first half, Utah bothered Luka Doncic with a soft double-team out of pick-and-rolls that didn't aggressively force the ball from his hands, but did cause him to hesitate and run out the shot clock. After trailing by 12 to Utah at halftime, Dallas now leads, 80-74, with less than 11 minutes left to play. Whether he still has his legs or burst is a big question for these closing minutes. Dallas has closed the series with a 98-96 victory.

And Phoenix is better for it. The Suns concluded the regular season with a record of 64-18, the greatest in team history. They finished 8 games ahead of the ...

They needed to make the most of the depth at their disposal. Each victory had to be earned by the Suns. As a result, they reengaged and improved with each game. The Phoenix Suns are better as a result. Respect to the Pelicans, who pushed Phoenix and drove them to improve. It’s the equivalent of a team having to play the second night of a back-to-back. They needed a punch to the face. We often compare this team to the 2014 San Antonio Spurs – or at least I do – which was a team that upset LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, and the Miami Heat in the 2014 NBA Finals that season. This series against the Pelicans may turn out to be just the blessing that this team needed. The Suns concluded the regular season with a record of 64-18, the greatest in team history. It was a galvanizing series that reminded Phoenix that, although they marched through the regular season with ease, the playoffs are a different kind of challenge. They forced the Suns to push back. They were tough, tenacious, didn’t back down, played with speed and quickness, pestered the Suns, and drove them to the verge of frustration.

The Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavericks face off in the Western Conference semifinals of the NBA Playoffs.

- Game 5*: Tuesday, May 10, Mavericks at Suns, TBD, TNT - Game 2: Wednesday, May 4, Mavericks at Suns, 7 p.m., TNT - Game 1: Monday, May 2, Mavericks at Suns, 7 p.m., TNT

Paul and the Phoenix Suns — the team with the best record in the NBA this season — have moved on to the Western Conference semifinals, where a matchup with ...

The Suns got a closeout win on the road, which always boosts confidence. “It’s going to be a fun series.” The Suns ousted eighth-seeded New Orleans in six games to advance, saw Paul make history and got Booker back from a hamstring strain for the clincher. Dallas eliminated Utah later Thursday night, giving Luka Doncic his first series win — and the Mavericks’ first trip to the second round since 2011, when they won the NBA title. This becomes the second consecutive year that Phoenix needed six games, and a taste of adversity, to get through Round 1. The three better showings all belong to Wilt Chamberlain — who had games of 15, 16 and 18 makes without a single miss.

Devin Booker sent out a tweet after the Phoenix Suns eliminated the New Orleans Pelicans in Game 6.

Game 6 will be played in New Orleans on Thursday evening.CLICK HERE. The win advanced the Suns to the second-round of the NBA Playoffs, while the Pelicans are headed to the offseason. - CHRIS PAUL MEETS WITH MEDIA AFTER GAME 5: The Phoenix Suns picked up a significant win in Game 5 to get the series back in their favor (3-2). After the game, superstar point guard Chris Paul met with the media.

Paul and the Phoenix Suns — the team with the best record in the NBA this season — have moved on to the Western Conference semifinals, where a matchup with ...

The Suns got a closeout win on the road, which always boosts confidence. “It’s going to be a fun series.” The Suns ousted eighth-seeded New Orleans in six games to advance, saw Paul make history and got Booker back from a hamstring strain for the clincher. Dallas eliminated Utah later Thursday night, giving Luka Doncic his first series win — and the Mavericks’ first trip to the second round since 2011, when they won the NBA title. This becomes the second consecutive year that Phoenix needed six games, and a taste of adversity, to get through Round 1. The three better showings all belong to Wilt Chamberlain — who had games of 15, 16 and 18 makes without a single miss.

Chris Paul spoke to the NBA on TNT after the Phoenix Suns eliminated the New Orleans Pelicans in Game 6 of their first-round playoff series.

Game 6 will be played in New Orleans on Thursday evening.CLICK HERE. - CHRIS PAUL MEETS WITH MEDIA AFTER GAME 5: The Phoenix Suns picked up a significant win in Game 5 to get the series back in their favor (3-2). After the game, superstar point guard Chris Paul met with the media. The win for the Suns advances them to the second-round of the playoffs, while the loss for the Pelicans sends them into the 2022 offseason.

Paul and the Phoenix Suns — the team with the best record in the NBA this season — have moved on to the Western Conference semifinals, where a matchup with ...

The Suns got a closeout win on the road, which always boosts confidence. “It’s going to be a fun series.” The Suns ousted eighth-seeded New Orleans in six games to advance, saw Paul make history and got Booker back from a hamstring strain for the clincher. Dallas eliminated Utah later Thursday night, giving Luka Doncic his first series win — and the Mavericks’ first trip to the second round since 2011, when they won the NBA title. This becomes the second consecutive year that Phoenix needed six games, and a taste of adversity, to get through Round 1. The three better showings all belong to Wilt Chamberlain — who had games of 15, 16 and 18 makes without a single miss.