Suns hope to capitalize on Pelicans' woes for 2nd straight win
NEW ORLEANS -- It is five losses and counting for the winless New Orleans Pelicans, and in any election year, those are awful polling numbers.
The 0-5 Pelicans get another chance at breaking their early-season slide Friday night when they host the 1-4 Phoenix Suns at the Smoothie King Center, but don't necessarily count on it.
The game can be seen on FOX Sports Arizona and FOX Sports GO, starting at 4:30 p.m.
The Pelicans' supporting cast came to play put up decent numbers in Wednesday night's game at Memphis, but star forward Anthony Davis, who had scored 50, 45 and 35 points in three of New Orleans first four losses, had an atrocious night, scoring 10 points on 3-of-13 shooting. The result: An 89-83 overtime loss.
The Suns, meanwhile, notched their first victory of the season with a 118-115 overtime decision at home against the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night. Guard Eric Bledsoe nailed a tough 3-pointer on the right wing over the outstretched arms of Damian Lillard to get the relief victory.
"I wanted the ball and Coach gave it to me, and I delivered," said Bledsoe, who scored 12 of his 20 points in the final 5:07 of regulation and the five minutes of overtime.
Bledsoe had made only 3 of 15 shots before exploding down the stretch.
"I had to be extra aggressive," Bledsoe said. "This team is going to go as far as I take them, and I've got to do that. I have to lead by example."
The Pelicans and the Suns split four games last season. Bledsoe played in three of those games and averaged 25.5 points per game.
Davis is still averaging 31 points per game, but he knows he wasted a rare opportunity Wednesday night because the Pelicans' role players actually showed up.
Rookie guard Buddy Hield, mired in a shooting slump in the first four games, scored a career-high 18 points and was 4 of 9 from 3-point range. Swingman Lance Stephenson, who awakened a dormant New Orleans offense in a 35-20 second quarter, led the Pelicans with 21.
"Everybody else stepped up and made the plays and kept us in the game," Davis said. "I didn't come through on my end, and that's on me. I didn't perform to the level I'm capable."
At the end of regulation, with the score tied, Davis wound up fighting the clock and missed a 3-pointer. The Pelicans only needed a two-pointer or a foul shot to win.
"The only people who can dig us out of this is us," said New Orleans coach Alvin Gentry, whose team opened 0-6 last year and eventually was 1-11 before playing respectably in the last five months of the season. "No one's going to feel sorry for you at this level."
Gentry said he was pleased that Hield, who missed his first 12 3-point attempts over four games, seems to be getting more comfortable with his outside stroke.
"He still has a long way to go," Gentry said. "He's a young player trying to learn the league and what it's all about. He's a real conscientious kid. We will sit down with him, watch tape and he will learn from the mistakes he made and some of the breakdowns he had."
