The Suns today beat the Pelicans 110-99 at home to give a 1-0 lead.
In the first half, the Suns only let the Pelicans score 34 points, leading by 19 points, but in the third quarter, the Suns let the Pelicans reach 37 points, a net loss of 11 points in the single quarter, and the point difference also came to single digits. Fortunately, Paul stood up in the last quarter of the game, scoring 19 points in a single quarter to help the Suns win steadily.
It is worth mentioning that in the regular season this season, the Suns achieved an impressive record of 47 wins and 0 losses in the game leading into the final quarter, and after today's game, this record has reached 48 wins and 0 losses, still not a defeat. In addition, the Suns led the game in the first quarter, and also achieved a record of 44 wins and 3 losses.
In 2020, the Lakers have a 57-0 record in the regular season and playoffs to lead the final season, and they eventually won the championship, and the Suns are expected to replicate this feat this season.
Paul, who is almost 37 years old, exploded today, playing 35 minutes, shooting 12 of 16, including 4 of 6 three-pointers and 2 of 2 free throws, with 30 points, 7 rebounds, 10 assists and 3 steals, becoming the oldest player to score 30+10 assists in a single game in the playoffs (36 years and 346 days), breaking the record set by Nash in the first game of the 2010 Western Conference Finals, nash was also a Suns player at the time.
In the final quarter, Paul dominated the game, scoring 17 points on 6-of-6 shooting in half a quarter, and finally scoring 19 points in a single quarter, preserving the record of the lead into the final quarter without being reversed.
In the first game of the playoffs, Paul performed so brilliantly that it seems that he is determined to win the championship and even the FMVP this season. Last season, Paul made his first playoffs, but missed the championship. This season Paul has led the Suns to the best record in the history of the team, and the hope of winning the championship is great, and Paul will certainly not miss this opportunity again.
Booker also performed well today, shooting 8-of-19 from the field, 4-of-8 from three-point range, and had 25 points, 4 rebounds and 8 assists. Ayton shot 10-of-15 from the field and had 21 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists and 4 blocks.
On the Pelicans side, McCollum played 43 minutes and shot 9-of-25, including 3-of-8 from three-point range and 4-of-6 from the free throw line, with 25 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Ingram, who made his playoff debut, shot 6-of-17 from the field and 1-of-2 from three-point range, with 18 points, five rebounds and four assists. Valanciunas shot 7-of-21 from the field and had 18 points, 25 rebounds and three assists.