The Pelicans upset the Suns to rewrite the series to 1-1. Devin Booker's unexpected injury was a turning point in the game and most likely a turning point in the series. The Sun, which aspires to be the championship, has a change in the second game of the playoffs.
In the first half, Booker scored 31 points without getting a free throw. So, with the Sun collectively out of focus today and the Pelican feel, the Sun was able to lead the way into the second half. Subsequently, in the third quarter, Booker returned to the locker room early and never played again. The Suns manager also personally confirmed before the start of the fourth quarter: "Booker suffered a hamstring injury, this game will not return, the specific injury needs to be re-evaluated." "Even if the overall strength of the Sun is very prominent, the Pelicans are not idle, not to mention that today Chris Paul's feel is very ordinary, and it is inevitable to lose."
Booker's hamstring injury may directly change the direction of the Playoffs in the West. Both NBA players and NBA fans are very familiar with hamstring injuries, which have become the most common condition for NBA players in recent years. A hamstring strain is not a devastating injury, but its characteristics are also very distinct - it needs to be rested, and it is difficult to heal in a short period of time. Harden and Paul are already lessons ahead, and if the hamstring injury is slightly more serious, it may affect long-term offensive performance. Even the slightest injury requires about 10 days of rest, and the Pelicans' core player Ingram suffered a hamstring injury at the end of the regular season, which was also a two-week break in a row, and he needed to take frequent rotations after his comeback. It seems that the sun is really in trouble this time. Unsurprisingly, Booker will remain out for some time, and the Suns' playoff situation is precarious.
If the Sun holds the lead in the big score, then the Sun can relax a little. However, at present, the Sun and pelicans are back on the starting line, and the strong pelicans occupy an absolute advantage in psychology and lineup, and the Suns are really overwhelmed. It is clear from today's game that Booker is already the absolute core of the Suns, and that the lack of Booker is more deadly than the lack of Paul. Especially in the case that the sun's outside feel has not yet warmed up, Booker's singles ability is even more precious. In the second half, without Booker's steady output, the Suns' offensive quality was greatly reduced, and the 37-year-old Paul could not contribute to the singles round frequently. In the last game, Paul's 19 points in the fourth quarter helped the Suns set the record for victory because he got plenty of rest in the first three quarters. Today's situation is completely different, Paul in the third quarter ahead of time, the fourth quarter of the physical problem is obviously a problem, the success rate of singles is not as good as before, which is also the reason why the Pelicans played an offensive small climax.
In addition, the Pelicans have a very obvious advantage, that is, head coach Willie Green. Willie Green is a beloved disciple of Suns coach Monty Williams, whether it is a player period or an assistant coach, Willie Green is closely following Monty, and he was also Paul's teammate and monty's assistant coach last season. In other words, Willie Green knows the Suns very well, from Monty down to Paul. Previously, the Suns could win this series with the absolute advantage of the lineup. Now that the situation has changed, and now that the Pelicans are more dominant, the manager's advantage can be shown. So, the Suns' disadvantage is one more, and the direction of this series is almost entirely pinned on Booker's injury situation. The Pelicans now have all the advantages.
The Pelicans are a youth army that has not yet seen their upper limit. Even if they can't win this series, they will definitely cause some trouble for the Suns. If the sun wants to qualify, it must pay a certain price. The Suns are plagued by injuries, and perhaps the most profitable is the Warriors. Today's Warriors, with almost no record pressure, are in hot form for the new Splash trio, and they have almost booked a second-round spot. Now that both the Grizzlies and the Suns have a strong opponent, this is the Warriors' best chance, and if one of them accidentally overturns, the Warriors' chances of breaking out of the West will be greatly increased.