Most complete team effort of season helps Pelicans thump Suns, 123-101

It was the most complete effort of the season.

The New Orleans Pelicans shot it well, rebounded well, took care of the basketball and yes, even defended well in a 123-101 home victory over Phoenix Wednesday night, snapping a 3-game Phoenix win streak.

It was a far cry from a 111-86 blowout loss at Phoenix on Dec. 29.

What was not to like Wednesday night?

The Pelicans shot 51.1 percent from the floor and 81 percent from the free throw line. New Orleans shot 42.4 percent from 3-point range. The Pelicans won the battle of the boards 44-39. New Orleans committed just seven turnovers while forcing 14 by the Suns. The Pelicans had 10 fast break points and the Suns were scoreless in that department.

Yes, the Suns did not shoot it well and missed some open looks but by and large, the Pelicans, a poor defensive team again thus far this season, defended Phoenix quite well.

The tone was set early.

New Orleans pounded the Suns inside and then went outside for success from the perimeter.

Zion Williamson destroyed Phoenix in the first quarter with 15 points, dominating for his best first quarter since becoming a Pelican.

Williamson went on to score 28 points, once again in efficient fashion, on a superb 12-of-14 shots from the field. Zion even sank a 3-pointer. Williamson added seven rebounds, six assists and a steal and had no turnovers, a huge number to consider.

Brandon Ingram had 23 points, six assists, four rebounds and two blocks as the big two combined for 51 points. Anytime Williamson and Ingram combine for 50 points, the chances of New Orleans winning goes up significantly, as I have stated previously.

The perimeter game was present in the persons of Lonzo Ball and Eric Bledsoe.

Ball scored 18 points, making 4-of-7 from 3-point range and he had six rebounds. Bledsoe sank 3-of-6 from 3-point range, scoring 11 points. Ingram made a pair of 3-pointers, as did Josh Hart of the bench with 10 points.

After sitting for three games, Redick returned to the rotation off the bench and scored 10 points, including a pair of 3-pointers in 18 minutes.

Were it not for Nickeil Alexander-Walker going 0-for-5 from distance, the Pelicans otherwise shot 50 percent from 3-point range. Alexander-Walker continues to show promise with his length, ability to get to the paint and to the rim and finish with either hand but continues to struggle with his shot, now shooting 28 percent on the season from 3-point range.

Not lost in translation was the play of Steven Adams, who did the dirty work with 11 points, 13 rebounds, four assists and a steal and had no turnovers.

Still, what you had to like most was the second half team performance.

New Orleans led just 48-47 at halftime.

Third quarters have been a real problem on the season but not on this night as the Pelicans won that quarter in decisive fashion, 40-28 to take an 88-75 lead into the fourth quarter and then had another surge in the final quarter to pull away for the win. New Orleans won the second half 75-55.

The homestand featured two very good wins over good teams in Milwaukee and Phoenix and a solid win over Washington. Mixed in to spoil the good fruit were bad losses to Houston, where New Orleans was blown out in the second quarter, and to a below average Sacramento team.

As the Pelicans hit the road to Indiana Friday, the key is searching for consistency, in both the approach and execution.

That starts with effort on the defensive end of the floor.

If you can get enough stops and rebound well nightly, you will always have a chance to win, regardless of whether you are making shots or struggling on the offensive end of the floor.

New Orleans is near the top of the league in rebounding. The Pelicans are closer to the bottom of the league in virtually all defensive measurables. Turnovers have been reduced recently.

That equals one good trend, one bad number and one improving number. That equates to average, to mediocrity.

The key is to put two good defensive games together in succession and continue down that road while continuing to take care of and make good decisions with the basketball.

With a quarter of the season now gone at 8-12, now is the time to make that happen if the 2020-21 season is going to amount to anything positive for New Orleans.