Smoothie King Center Showdown: New Orleans Pelicans vs Phoenix Suns

As the New Orleans Pelicans prepare to host the Phoenix Suns at the Smoothie King Center, fans are eager to see if their team can maintain their recent momentum. The Pelicans have shown a mix of resilience and vulnerability in their past games, which could be pivotal in determining the outcome of this matchup.

In their last game on December 24 against the Houston Rockets, the Pelicans fell short by just 2 points, with a final score of 104-106. Despite this loss, there were positive takeaways for NOP. They outrebounded Houston with a total of 55 rebounds and dominated points in the paint with 58. However, turnovers were an issue as they gave up possession 16 times.

Looking back at NOP's performance on December 22 against Cleveland Cavaliers provides a more encouraging picture. The team secured an impressive victory with a scoreline of 123-104. Their offensive efficiency was evident as they shot an outstanding 54 percent from the field and an even more impressive fast break percentage at roughly 71 percent.

The game against Memphis Grizzlies on December 20 was another tight contest where NOP narrowly lost by two points again, ending at 113-115. The team showed great scoring distribution but struggled defensively allowing Memphis to put up significant numbers in both field goal percentage and points from fast breaks.

The upcoming game presents an opportunity for NOP to capitalize on their home-court advantage and refine their defensive strategy to prevent easy baskets from fast breaks and turnovers which have been areas of concern recently.

NOP's ability to control the paint will be crucial against Phoenix Suns' dynamic offense. Fans should expect NOP's big men to play a significant role in both protecting the rim and securing rebounds. Additionally, maintaining offensive efficiency while reducing turnovers could tilt this game in favor of New Orleans.

The scheduled date for this exciting NBA action is January 19th at Smoothie King Center starting at 7:00 PM CT (local time). Fans can catch all live action on BSNO channel number:676-4 or AZFamily for those supporting away from home.