
PHOENIX — The Phoenix Suns are hoping to avoid back-to-back losses as the New Orleans Pelicans arrive to Mortgage Matchup Center for Friday night action.
Suns coach Jordan Ott saw a boost to his lineup before action when Royce O'Neale was added as an active player after initially being ruled questionable. Phoenix is still down Mark Williams, Dillon Brooks and Jordan Goodwin due to injury, however.
With a feisty and physical Pelicans squad in town, here's the starting lineup Jordan Ott is banking on to turn things around:
This is the same lineup as last night, where the Suns fell to Chicago.
With New Orleans in town, Phoenix has their hands full tonight, and Ott knows it:
"They play fast, I think Chicago is one of those teams that plays super fast. I think these guys play fast, these guys are bigger, they're bigger at spots, they're drivers," he said pre-game.
"It's not as much (Collin) Sexton and (Tre) Jones, it's (Zion) Williamson that is putting his head down, obviously, with the addition of (Dejounte) Murray and his ability to get into the paint make plays, and then Saddiq Bey, that's one of those guys that's really had a good season. We're going to have to do the best we can one-on-one. That's where it starts, always. And then they have to know we have their back, it's gonna be multiple bodies. And then once it kicks out, that's where we got to move. We got to move, we got to scramble, and then we got to impact, do a better job of that than what we did last night.”
Phoenix is in dire search of some form of energy after lacking it last night.
"Second night of a back-to-back for them, they were obviously traveling. There are some similarities in the team we played last night (Chicago Bulls), and these guys are good in transition and then they're going to come downhill into our paint," Ott said.
"Zion (Williamson) is obviously one-of-one in that aspect, we have to do the same thing. Do just a better job of taking care of the paint, keeping them out of our paint, the best we can, one-on-one. Once they get there, we have to show them bodies to kick it out and get a great impact.”
Opening tip is slated for 7:00 PM MST.
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