On April 18, Beijing time, the 2021-22 NBA playoffs were in full swing. In today's first-round game in the West, the Suns were challenged by the Pelicans at home. The Suns finished first in the league in the regular season, while the Pelicans advanced through consecutive playoffs against the Spurs and Clippers.
It should be noted that the two teams are 28 games apart in the regular season, which is the seventh largest difference between the two sides in the first round of the playoffs since the 1967-68 season. The gap between the two teams was evident from the start of the game, with Suns top scorer Booker scoring 10 points, 3 rebounds and 4 assists in the first quarter. In the third quarter of the game, Booker played a super personal performance, scoring 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting in a single quarter. In the game, Booker had 25 points, 4 rebounds and 8 assists on 8-of-19 shooting.
Veteran Paul is also very good. Paul didn't shoot in the first quarter, but picked up 3 rebounds and delivered as many as 4 assists, and in the second quarter, Paul stepped up his personal offense, scoring 7 points and 4 rebounds on 3-of-5 shooting, and he hit his first three-pointer of the day at 45 degrees on the left. After the start of the final quarter, facing the Pelicans' chase, Paul hit three consecutive three-pointers at the top of the arc, followed by consecutive baskets, he scored 17 points on 6-of-6 shooting in 6 minutes, and under his leadership, the Suns quickly extended their lead to 18 points, and the game lost suspense. Throughout the game, Paul had 30 points, seven rebounds and 10 assists on 12-of-16 shooting, including 19 points in the final quarter.
Ayton also played super efficient today. Ayton had 6 points and 4 rebounds on 3-of-3 shooting in the first quarter. In the second quarter, Ayton began to try long-range shots, not only hitting two mid-range shots, but also receiving a pass from Paul to hit a three-pointer at the top of the arc! In the 3rd quarter, Ayton was again Mr. 100%, scoring 6 points and delivering two blocks on 3-of-3 in the quarter. Throughout the game, Ayton had 21 points, nine rebounds and two assists on 10-of-15 shooting.
In the end, the Suns beat the Pelicans 110:99 at home to make the playoffs a good start. The Big Three slashed a total of 76 points, 20 rebounds and 20 assists today, and incredibly, the trio shot a total of 50 shots today, and in the defensively strengthened playoffs, their shooting percentage reached 60%!
According to the schedule, the Suns will play the Pelicans again at home this Wednesday, and they will strive for a 2-0 lead!