Zion Williamson delivered a historic performance as the New Orleans Pelicans defeated the Phoenix Suns 124-116 on Thursday night.
Williamson notched his first career triple-double with 27 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists, helping New Orleans secure its third consecutive victory. The Pelicans (16-43) matched their longest winning streak of the season while improving to 5-24 on the road.
CJ McCollum contributed 19 points in the first of a two-game set in Phoenix. Trey Murphy III added 18 points and connected on five three-pointers, while Karlo Matkovic recorded 17 points and 10 rebounds. Yves Missi also posted a double-double with 11 points and 10 boards.
Phoenix (27-32) dropped its seventh game in the last eight contests. Devin Booker led all scorers with 36 points, adding seven rebounds and nine assists, while Kevin Durant tallied 28 points. The Suns struggled to maintain their momentum after erasing an 18-point first-half deficit.
The Pelicans controlled the early portion of the game, racing to a 48-30 lead behind a 13-0 run to start the second quarter. However, Phoenix fought back to take a 62-61 edge at halftime, with Booker pouring in 17 first-half points.
The Suns carried a 91-88 advantage into the fourth, but New Orleans dominated down the stretch. Williamson powered through defenders for two key buckets late in the game, and Matkovic drilled a corner three with 3:24 remaining to give the Pelicans a decisive 116-108 lead.
Phoenix faltered in the final period, shooting just 9-of-25 from the field (36%) and 2-of-14 from three-point range (14.3%). The team missed the presence of Bradley Beal, who remained sidelined with a calf injury.
New Orleans capitalized on balanced scoring, with all five starters finishing in double figures. Jose Alvarado provided a spark off the bench, chipping in 14 points and five assists.
The Suns, now sitting 11th in the Western Conference, are running out of time to turn their season around. Despite Durant and Booker’s high-scoring efforts, Phoenix continues to struggle with consistency.
