Phoenix – Michael Bridges While playing his 47th minute basketball on Tuesday night, he jumped into the air, threw down a large two-handed jam and pulled himself to the edge with a small mockery.
He is the one who can do everything for these phoenix suns. And, no, he’s not even tired.
Bridges scored 31 points and blocked four shots, the best game of his career, beating the Suns New Orleans Pelicans 112-97 to take a 3-2 lead in the Western Conference first-round series.
“I’m ready to play tomorrow,” Bridges said with a big laugh. “I’m excited, my teammates are constantly treating me. I’m scratching my knee now, and I’m talking about it. I’m so excited to be out with my teammates. They are my best friends, which makes the way easier.
Chris Paul Added 22 points and 11 assists, recovering from lesser performance in Game 4. Deandre Ayton Added 19 points and nine rebounds.
The suns never set back until the last few minutes against the frantic pelicans. Once again, the Phoenix improved to 50-0 this season, when it was leading 3-0 after three quarters this season.
Bridges closed the Suns’ score with two pressure dunks in the last minute.
Brandon Ingram 22 points and CJ McCullum He added 21 runs for the New Orleans team, which suffered a slow start and 15 turnovers.
Pelicans coach Willie Green said, “I thought we made some mistakes at the start of the turnover.” That’s an area where we know we need to be better.
The Suns led 89-78 after Cameron Payne’s last 3-pointer in the last quarter. The Pelicans – just 36-46 in the regular season – pulled in seven points in less than two minutes, but Cameron Johnson He threw down a hand jam on the next fast brake to keep the sun under control.
The Phoenix will try to capture the series in Game 6 in New Orleans on Thursday. If the first five games are a sign of anything, it will not be easy.
It was an Ironman performance for Bridges, who played 47 in 48 minutes, but did not look tired. He made 12 of 17 shots from the field, blocked four shots, captured five rebounds and stole two.
Langi, 25, one of the three finalists for the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award, has not missed a single game in his four – year NBA career, playing in 309 regular season games and 27 post – season. .
“He never misses a game, he guards the best players every night, and then he has 31,” Paul said.
Phoenix played its third straight game without the All-Star Guard Devin BookerStill out with a right hamstring strain that happened in Game 2.
Phoenix had a 17-man lead in the second quarter, up from 59-46 earlier. Paul had 16 points before the break, and Ayden added 13.
“We need to change the way we start a game and come out with energy,” the Pelicans Center Jonas Valanciunas Said. “If it weren’t for that fight in the first half, it would have been a different game.
Technical problem
Paul was annoyed after the game by a technical error he made in the fourth quarter. It came at a crucial point: the Suns were leading 100-92 with 4:39 remaining.
The point guard got the technology after the whistle was blown for an eight-second violation. He said “go” to everything he said in the scorer’s table as he was expecting a review.
“It’s out of control, it’s ridiculous,” Paul said. “It simply came to our notice then.
Lighter pockets
Speaking of officials’ dissatisfaction, Suns coach Monty Williams was fined $ 15,000 for publicly criticizing him for being a referee in the 4th game of the first round playoff series against the New Orleans Pelicans, the NBA announced before the game. The Pelicans were 42-15 in foul shots during Game 4, which the Suns lost.
Tips
Pelicans: Jose Alvarado Forcing an eight-second call against Paul in the fourth quarter, the defense struggled again, resulting in a turnover and technical error on Paul. … New Orleans took only 5 (20%) out of 25 from the 3-point range.
Sons: Booker has been training at the team’s training center, but it is not yet clear when he will return. … Payne encouraged the Suns with seven points in the first quarter. He averaged just 4.8 points in the first four games of the series. … Phoenix were only 1 in 9 from the 3-point range, hitting 4 in 6 in the first half.
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