Booker and Williams Help Suns Orchestrate Late-Game Surge to Silence Pelicans 115-108
Road wins in the NBA are rarely masterpieces. They are often messy and disjointed affairs. On Friday night in New Orleans, the Phoenix Suns didn’t play a perfect game, but they played a winning one, digging deep in the final five minutes to pull away with a 115-108 victory over the Pelicans.
For a moment, it looked like the post-Christmas blues might catch up to Phoenix. Trailing 100-97 with just under five minutes remaining, the momentum had swung entirely to the home team. The Smoothie King Center was rocking, and Zion Williamson was beginning to impose his will. But rather than fold, the Suns responded with championship-level composure, closing the game on a suffocating 18-8 run that snatched the life out of the building.
Booker Takes Command in Crunch Time
When the offense stagnated, the Suns turned to the man who has been their anchor for a decade. Devin Booker finished with a game-high 30 points, but his impact went far beyond the final box score. It was his timing that broke the Pelicans’ back.
Booker poured in 12 of his points in the fourth quarter, refusing to let the game slip away. He operated with surgical precision in the midrange, punishing defenders for dropping back and finding open teammates when the double teams arrived. It was Booker who ignited the game-winning run, calmly sinking two free throws to stop the bleeding when New Orleans threatened to pull away. His presence on the floor calmed a frantic Phoenix offense, reminding everyone why he remains one of the league’s premier closers.
Mark Williams Becomes the Unlikely Hero for the Suns
While Booker provided the star power, Mark Williams provided the muscle. In perhaps his most impactful performance of the season, Williams was a force of nature in the paint. He finished with a massive double-double, tallying 24 points and 13 rebounds, but it was his poise down the stretch that truly mattered.
After Booker started the late rally, Williams took the baton. He knocked down four consecutive clutch free throws—a massive ask for a big man in a hostile environment—and punctuated the run with a thunderous dunk off a perfect alley-oop feed from Booker. That sequence didn’t just put points on the board; it demoralized a Pelicans defense that thought they had done enough to get a stop. Williams’ 10 fourth-quarter points were the difference-maker Phoenix desperately needed.
Missed Chances Haunt New Orleans
The narrative for the Pelicans will focus heavily on missed opportunities. New Orleans fought valiantly, led by Williamson’s 20 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. Jordan Poole and Trey Murphy III also chipped in 19 points apiece, keeping the offense afloat for three quarters.
However, the game was ultimately lost at the charity stripe. In a display that will surely haunt the coaching staff during film sessions, the Pelicans shot an abysmal 25-of-42 from the free-throw line. Leaving 17 points on the floor in a seven-point loss is a math equation that never works out in your favor. Every time the Suns opened the door, the Pelicans slammed it shut on their own fingers with a clanked free throw.
Grit on the Glass and Bench Sparks
The foundation for the Suns’ victory was laid in the first half, where their effort on the glass set the tone. Phoenix bullied New Orleans on the boards early, securing a 12-6 advantage on the offensive glass in the first two quarters alone. Those extra possessions led to 17 second-chance points, keeping them ahead even when their outside shots weren’t falling (Phoenix shot just 5-of-24 from deep).
The Suns also got vital contributions from their second unit. Rasheer Fleming provided a crucial spark in the second quarter, converting three layups during an 11-2 run that gave Phoenix breathing room. And when the game was teetering in the final two minutes, it was Collin Gillespie who delivered the dagger—a calm 15-foot jumper that pushed the lead to three possessions and effectively iced the game.
Looking Ahead for Phoenix
This win pushes the Suns to 17-13, keeping them firmly in the mix near the top of the Western Conference standings. Beating a team on its home floor after surrendering a late lead requires a level of mental toughness that pays dividends in May and June.
The job isn’t finished, however. The quirky NBA schedule has these two teams facing off again on Saturday night in the same building. The Suns proved they can take a punch and keep moving forward, but they’ll need to bring that same energy again in less than 24 hours if they want to sweep this road set.
