NBA: Suns bounce back to split two-game set vs Pelicans

Feb 28, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns center Bol Bol (11) grabs a rebound against the New Orleans Pelicans during the first half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Bol Bol scored 25 points and Nick Richards added 19 points and 12 rebounds to help the Phoenix Suns record an easy 125-108 victory over the visiting New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night in the finale of a two-game set in the NBA.

Royce O’Neale had 18 points by matching his career best of six 3-pointers for the Suns, who snapped a three-game losing streak and won for just the third time in 13 games.

Devin Booker had 17 points and nine assists and Kevin Durant added 17 points, six assists and three steals as Phoenix gained a split of the two games against the Pelicans.

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Yves Missi scored a career-best 24 points on 11-of-14 shooting and Jordan Hawkins also had 24 points for the Pelicans, whose three-game winning streak ended.

New Orleans held out Zion Williamson and CJ McCollum for rest on the second end of the back-to-back. Williamson starred Thursday with his first career triple-double as the Pelicans produced a 124-116 victory.

Bradley Beal (calf) and Grayson Allen (foot) sat out for the Suns.

Phoenix connected on a stellar 59.5 percent of its shots and hit 21 of 40 (52.5 percent) from 3-point range.

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The Pelicans made 50.6 percent of their shots and were 11 of 28 (39.3 percent) from behind the arc.

Phoenix came out hot and made 16 of 22 field-goal attempts (72.7 percent) in the first quarter while building a 40-18 lead.

The Suns finished the half at 61 percent from the field and held a 63-42 lead at the break. Bol had 17 first-half points for Phoenix, and Missi had 17 in the half for the Pelicans.

New Orleans made overtures about sneaking back into the game when Hawkins sank consecutive baskets to whittle the deficit to 72-57 with 6:48 remaining in the third quarter.

However, Booker and Durant answered with treys to push Phoenix’s lead back to 21. O’Neale later drilled a 3-pointer to make it 88-64 with 2:59 to go before the Suns settled for a 92-70 lead entering the final stanza.

In the fourth quarter, Booker scored five straight points and O’Neale made two 3-pointers during an 11-2 run as the lead reached 103-74 with 9:12 left. The Suns remained in control the rest of the way. –Field Level Media