In the closing moments of the Phoenix Suns-New Orleans Pelicans showdown, Zion Williamson smacked a highlight reel, 360 windmill slam to put an exclamation point on their Friday win. While this move jumped the fans from their seats within Smoothie King Arena, the Suns
have gone sour that the star big man still decided to pull it off.
As the clock officially expired, Jose Alvarado, Cam Payne, and Chris Paul were found jawing in midcourt, pushing the personnel of both teams to separate them.
For Payne, Williamson’s dunk was a gesture that lacked sportsmanship with the game nearing the finish line, in what could be breaking the “unwritten rule.”
“The game was pretty much over and they just kept playing,” Payne said, courtesy of ESPN’s Mark Lopez. “I felt like there was just no sportsmanship and we don’t really like that. We do the right thing. I felt like they should’ve done the right thing and they didn’t. We didn’t take it well and we don’t like to lose either. The game was over, no shot clock. They can hold the ball.”
For CJ McCollum, the match still had plenty of time remaining and the Suns could have opted to defend the ball and bar Williamson from dunking.
“They gotta get back on defense if they don’t want us to dunk the ball,” McCollum said. “Get back on defense.”
But on the Williamson, he had plenty of reasons to fulfill that monstrous finish – dating back to the last playoffs when New Orleans was eliminated by Phoenix in their first-round clash.
Williamson, who was nursing his foot injury and ruled out for the entirety of the 2021-22 season, was absent from the postseason series and can only watch his team fade away in six grueling games in front of the Suns.
“That was a little out of character for me,” Williamson said. “But you’ve got to understand, I mean, you can understand it or not. They sent my teammates home last year.
“I missed all last year. I got carried away a little bit. I admit that. But you know, I was in that locker room when my brothers were down because the Suns sent us home last year. That’s a tough moment to be a part of. So in that moment, I got carried away. I admit that. … If they were to do the same thing, I wouldn’t have no problem with it.”
With how things have transpired this Friday, the rematch between the Suns and the Pelicans can only be more anticipated on Sunday in adding more fuel to their budding rivalry.
