Phoenix Suns 3 Keys to Victory vs Pelicans in First Round of Playoffs
Phoenix Suns Keys to Victory vs New Orleans Pelicans: Embrace the Playoff Chaos
Although their two-game Play-In run likely counts for something, this Pelicans team still carries a significant number of names with zero playoff experience. The Suns on the other hand, while still young themselves, went all the way to the NBA Finals last year.
With that, Phoenix will enter this series as comfortable as ever amidst the crazy, up-tempo nature of playoff basketball, while the Pelicans will do the opposite. Once considering this, the Suns will want to play within this playoff-like environment, as it promises to favor them.
In doing that, Phoenix will want to keep the game’s pace up and blitz the Pelicans as often as possible. Look for Mikal Bridges to stay leaking out for transition dunks, Landry Shamet to hit motion triples while swinging over the wing, and shot creators Cameron Payne and Devin Booker improvise in the half court.
With exception to McCollum and Jonas Valanciunas, everyone else on the Pelicans will likely feel discombobulated with all that going on plus a jubilant Phoenix crowd roaring around them. Put simply, they cannot allow New Orleans to slow the game down, find their composure, and attack on their terms.
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In doing this, Phoenix can end some of these games early from a physiological standpoint, and carve out a few easy dubs en route to their ultimate goal in returning to the NBA Finals.