New Orleans – Phoenix Suns coach Monty Williams had some categorical statements about management after the New Orleans Pelicans took Game 4 with a score of 118-103 on Sunday into the first round with a 2-2 draw.
The Pelicans made 42 free throws to 15 Suns, and the difference was 17-2 in the first half. The Suns were called up for 12 more fouls in a classic physical playoff.
“You can chop it up any way you want,” Williams said. In a physical playoff, [the disparity] Wonderful. Coaches shouldn’t have to step into the microphone and feel like they’re going to be beheaded for telling the truth.”
The Pelicans game plan was to test the inner part of the Suns, and Brandon Ingram And Jonas Valanciunas Combined to shoot 21 free throws. Ingram finished with 30 points to become the first Pelicans player in team history to score 30 or more in three consecutive playoffs. Valanciunas rebounded from a poor showing in match 3 to give 26 points with 15 rebounds.
The Pelicans took 46 shots in the paint, but the Suns took 41.
phoenix guard Chris Paul He hasn’t gone to the foul streak after going 14 times in his first three matches. He went goalless in the fourth quarter, as he was dominant in the series, and tied his playoff career low with just four points total.
“It’s not like we’re not attacking the basket,” Williams said. “They outdid us; they deserved to win. That’s a free-throw disparity you have to look at…it’s tough [to] Swallow.”
Paul made his point.
“It’s like the old NBA, isn’t it?” Paul said. “I once asked a referee, ‘Do we play in the old NBA or the new NBA? “I was lucky enough to play in both; we just have to know which one it will be.”
Pelicans coach Willie Green said his team has the mentality of wanting to get into the paint and into the free-throw line.
“We were aggressive … they controlled the paint in the last game,” Green said. “He got 64 in the paint. So we knew we had to do better in that area.”
The Pelicans changed their strategy late in the game against Paul. Rather than relying on a switching strategy to deny him a lead that largely failed the series, Green ordered his team to lock down Paul in the fourth quarter. Paul made four of his 11 assists in the fourth, but apparently getting the ball out of his hands was effective.
“I am tired of hearing about his breaking records during the fourth quarter,” the Pelican Guard CJ McCollum She said. “He’s just a credit to our defence. Especially our strength. But also, it’s a league that wins or misses. He won’t take every shot. But some nights, he’s going to do a lot of hard shots. Tonight, he’s missing some shots he’s had in the last three games. Credits In our defence. But it is my league that fails or misses.”
Jose Alvarado, the unpolished rookie guard who had already gained notoriety as a defensive pest, seemed to annoy Paul with his defense of the entire court pressure. Alvarado forced Paul to foul for 8 seconds and stole twice.
Mr. Paul, who usually takes the reins in the fourth quarter, has lost his cool several times in frustration. I made a huge mistake Herb Jones – who played a great defense all night with three blocks and stole twice – then Paul had a technical foul. Alvarado induction later Aaron’s Holiday In a technical blunder, too, the rhythmic Smoothie King Center crowd chanted “nut, nut, josie” to the famous tune “oley, ole, ole.”
“He’s a good kid who plays hard,” Paul said of Alvarado. “He’s a really good energy guy. I’ll be better in the next match; I have to be.”
The sun was without a star Devin Booker For the second competition in a row as he returned from a hamstring injury he sustained in the second game last week. Booker is progressing in his recovery, but there is no official timeline for his return.
Without poker, the Suns offense would have exploded. After notching 4 of 26 with 3-pointers in a tight match 3 win on Friday, the Suns went to just 7 of 27 on Sunday. Booker substitute in the starting line-up, Cam Johnsonis just 6 out of 19 in the two games.
“We can’t be worried [Booker]”Obviously we need a backgammon, but that’s not why we lost the game,” Williams said.
ESPN’s Andrew Lopez contributed to this report.