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Suns Coach Explains What Doomed Phoenix vs. Zion Williamson, Pelicans

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Enzo Flojo | Last updated Feb 28, 2025 6:35 AM ET

The New Orleans Pelicans stunned the Phoenix Suns on Thursday night, securing a 124-116 road victory behind a dominant performance from Zion Williamson.

The Pelicans, now 16-43, overwhelmed the Suns with their relentless attack, while Phoenix, slipping to 27-32, struggled to contain Williamson and his supporting cast.

The former No. 1 pick delivered a triple-double, finishing with 27 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists, dictating the pace and wearing down the Suns' defense.

After the game, Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer pinpointed exactly what went wrong for Phoenix, highlighting the difficulty of slowing down Williamson’s all-around game.

“The ability to get downhill, the ability to finish, his touch around the rim,” Budenholzer told ClutchPoints’ Hayden Cilley. “But then, they mixed in some made threes around him. Some of their bigs were able to make threes. You’ve got him at the rim, and they shot it well, so it’s a tough combination.”

Zion Williamson had a triple-double following tonight's game (27 points, 10 rebounds, 11 assists).

Here's what Mike Budenholzer had to say about his performance.

"The ability to get downhill, the ability to finish his touch around the ramp, but then, they mixed in some made…
— Hayden Cilley (@HaydenCilley) February 28, 2025

That "tough combination" was on full display all night. The Suns had no answers for Williamson’s power in the paint nor could they effectively contest the Pelicans’ perimeter shooting.

The loss further underscored Phoenix’s defensive inconsistencies and raised concerns about their ability to contain elite scorers as the season progresses.

With their playoff hopes dwindling, the Suns must quickly find solutions or risk falling further down the Western Conference standings. Meanwhile, Williamson and the Pelicans may have just given a glimpse of what they’re capable of when firing on all cylinders.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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