© Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images
NEW ORLEANS – Some NBA games tell their story not through the score, but through rhythm. The Phoenix Suns’ Friday night 115-108 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans has done exactly that.
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Dec 26, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans guard Bryce McGowens (11) dunks against New Orleans guard Bryce McGowens (11) and forward Zion Williamson (1) during the first half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images
Friday night win in New Orleans didn’t come from perfection. It came from adjustment. The Suns spent the early portions of the night searching for rhythm, watching makeable shots rim out and possessions stall. Phoenix simplified their offensive execution in the second half, though. The ball moved more quickly, and spacing improved. The result was an offense that stopped chasing points and started creating them.
Dec 26, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Phoenix head coach Jordan Ott reacts during the first half New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images
Defensively, Phoenix paired that offensive clarity with purpose. Stops led to transition opportunities, allowing the Suns to score before New Orleans could set its pressure-heavy half-court defense. The game slowed on Phoenix’s terms, a hallmark of their best stretches this season.
Dec 26, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Phoenix forward Dillon Brooks (3) calls for a foul against New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) during the first half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images
For Phoenix fans, this was a reassuring kind of win. Not flashy, not dominant, but resilient. It showed a team capable of identifying its own problems in real time and correcting them without panic. Those are the wins that travel, especially in environments designed to disrupt rhythm.
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Reporter Benjamin Bliklen covers the Arizona Diamondbacks, Arizona Cardinals, and Phoenix Suns for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @BenBliklen
