Breaking: Suns scramble without Grayson Allen, Pelicans press the edge on the wings
A late scratch flips the script
Minutes before tip, the Suns ruled out Grayson Allen with a lingering knee issue. The change hit hard. Allen has been a glue piece in Phoenix, a floor spacer and a steady point of attack defender. Without him, the Suns had to reshuffle their perimeter rotation on the fly.
That meant heavier shot creation for Devin Booker and Bradley Beal. It meant more on-ball touches for Kevin Durant in the midpost. It also pushed defense-first wings like Josh Okogie and Royce O’Neale into longer, tougher assignments. Phoenix leaned into bigger lineups, trying to cover both the paint and the three point line. That is a hard balance against New Orleans.
Allen’s knee has bothered him for weeks. Phoenix chose caution tonight, protecting a key starter in December to avoid a longer absence later.
The ripple effects were clear on both ends. The Suns lost a trusted catch and shoot threat who knows where to be. They also lost a pesky guard defender who fights over screens. That changes everything against a Pelicans team that hunts edges with power and pace.
How New Orleans attacked
New Orleans saw the opening and drove straight at it. Zion Williamson tested Phoenix’s interior early, carving space with quick first steps. Brandon Ingram shifted gears from midrange scoring to playmaking when the help came. CJ McCollum floated to open pockets, punishing any late closeout. Herb Jones picked up Booker from the first dribble and made him work for every touch.
Trey Murphy III stretched the floor with deep spacing. Jonas Valanciunas set bruising screens that forced switches and mismatches. Without Allen to bump cutters and disrupt timing, the Suns had to help one pass away. New Orleans loves that read. Kickout threes followed. So did straight line drives when Phoenix tried to recover too fast.
The league released fresh game action photos that show the tone of the night. You can see Zion’s shoulders creating angles, and Booker rising into a tough pull up with a hand in his face. The battle played out possession by possession, strength against shotmaking. [IMAGE_1]
Betting and the live picture
The late news moved the conversation before the ball went up. Books adjusted quickly, shading toward New Orleans with one of Phoenix’s top shooters out. Props tied to Suns threes tightened as rotations shifted and usage spiked for the stars. Once the game settled, live numbers swung with each run, especially when Durant sat and the Pelicans targeted the gaps.
What shaped the market
- Phoenix’s spacing took a hit, lowering confidence in role player threes
- New Orleans leaned on size and offensive boards, a steady path to points
- Booker’s and Durant’s usage climbed, boosting high volume scoring looks
- Herb Jones and Trey Murphy raised the Pelicans’ ceiling on both ends
Live lines in these matchups are volatile. One hot stretch from elite shotmakers can flip a spread in two minutes.
This was a chess match with clear leverage points. When the Suns got stops, they could run and flow into early offense. When they could not, the Pelicans walked the ball into strength, fed Zion, and worked the glass. Those flows mattered as much to the numbers as to the scoreboard.
Culture, stakes, and December urgency
Holiday week games feel bigger. The arenas are loud, families fill the seats, and stars want the ball. Phoenix and New Orleans know the weight of these nights. Their recent history carries spice, dating back to a chippy playoff series and some bold celebrations. That edge showed up again, in the bumps on drives and the stare downs after big makes. Basketball in the West is a fight for inches, and both sides played like it.
The standings make it sharper. Phoenix needs continuity, and Allen has been central to that this season. His two way fit unlocks clean five out spacing and lets Booker guard fewer screens. Without him, the Suns lean harder on their top three, which can work, but costs energy in fourth quarters.
New Orleans is defining itself in real time. Willie Green has length and toughness across the wing. The Pelicans win when they defend first, then let talent take over. Tonight fit that identity. The photos tell the story too, from Herb’s chest up defense on Booker to Murphy’s step in rhythm from the corner. [IMAGE_2]
What comes next
Phoenix will evaluate Allen’s knee and map out the next week with caution. The Suns need him healthy for the long grind. They also need a rotation that survives the minutes when one star sits. That means more reps for Okogie and O’Neale on the ball. It also means quicker decisions from role players who catch and shoot without hesitation.
For New Orleans, the blueprint holds. Defend with length, push on misses, and let Zion and Ingram dictate when the game slows. Keep feeding Murphy’s spacing and McCollum’s timing in two for ones. The Pelicans look like a team comfortable in close games because their defense does not panic.
- If Allen returns soon, Phoenix’s offense should stabilize around drive and kick rhythm
- If he sits, expect more staggered minutes for Booker and Beal, with Durant as the hub
- New Orleans will keep hunting mismatches on the wing, then crashing the glass
Conclusion
A late scratch changed everything, and New Orleans seized the opening. Phoenix had answers in spurts, powered by star shotmaking, but missed Allen’s balance and bite. December is not May, yet nights like this shape habits that matter when it counts. The Suns need their fifth starter back to unlock their best self. The Pelicans left the floor with a clear identity and a win in the margins. The next meeting just got a little spicier. 🏀
