Suns vs. Pelicans: Key Matchup Preview

Suns Seek Turnaround

[{"selector":"#anim-19014cda-ff3c-4099-b98a-848cb3005a1d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b2e5cd9d-c9f3-48e6-b844-260b5b651d3a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d0a708df-664b-44d7-be46-da2369ebccda","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2300,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-425ae499-7a9c-4a88-84d2-efd5aae58191","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4ccd3f30-cb30-48e0-9ab9-01e4c23db3f8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4fd0bd26-51ea-4ab6-87db-02a6d227c6f3","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 313.07179%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-65d70cd6-5bdf-4c1c-922b-d4b9e4541630 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(31.249999886225726%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Phoenix Suns (27-31) host New Orleans Pelicans in a back-to-back at PHX Arena, aiming to revive their season. Image -Getty images

Injury Report

[{"selector":"#anim-3e582886-1b3b-4353-92a2-81bb5b7d78fe","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6d90b662-160b-4bbf-b7b0-3e13454b3979","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 271.89519%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-541a1662-f38d-41d8-b0b4-e3092f387a1d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9d245563-9d1f-43b9-9c9b-43c4da7b4a32","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ade7c683-102f-4176-8bad-9f5db88916e4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2300,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2e38f61e-3a1f-4e9f-9c03-cdaccfc4a7bb","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9e9d7acd-bfe6-4170-9cdb-df3a4b5c6531 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(34.179687404002955%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Suns’ Bradley Beal (calf), Cody Martin, and Monte Morris are out. Pelicans’ Dejounte Murray, Kelly Olynyk, Herb Jones, Bruce Brown, and Brandon Boston are sidelined. Image -Getty images

Budenholzer Praises Bol Bol

[{"selector":"#anim-bd01aded-939f-4c4f-8d73-c452951a3d91 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(31.254687386254172%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cc0d4a72-5ee4-49ba-a32b-c32fd96d4470","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0e2f1174-7994-4a86-b7ab-83770396d695","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-623bf954-8fd9-4cf0-85d1-344cf6f2aed4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2300,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2d917e80-9f16-4ded-bd55-2a90d113dd50","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b1c4d2c4-452b-4a81-9259-fac68320bc4a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-01f2e39d-b7bd-47a1-be06-39fc7acfe230","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 207.18952%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Suns coach credits David Fizdale for Bol Bol’s recent improvement and expects him to continue making an impact. Image -Getty images

Expanding Rotation?

[{"selector":"#anim-37e1ff59-8330-4a1d-b087-aef6ffaf46d0 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(35.937499914669296%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bfbecfe6-1613-4fe7-960e-a96adcd22719","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-75648e21-02ee-4432-ab79-3558e819dd34","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-23f48d54-978a-4642-8e56-5c910a42ed91","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2300,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b2e66eb4-f4ec-4f61-afc1-d037876c9151","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-11948dc7-4098-43af-8d0b-99b81c00b9e1","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 377.77782%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Budenholzer considers adding Ryan Dunn to the rotation but is cautious about disrupting team rhythm. Image -Getty images

Pelicans’ Game Plan

[{"selector":"#anim-41b04e10-7772-4898-8e7b-eb3cccec92ed [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(35.71149542191779%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c209048c-7730-4500-b624-fd1177309a19","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-642791fa-4739-42c5-b3bd-f769c9bfc973","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8b147105-b3b3-4180-8cb4-34a757557f09","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2300,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-69e55e7b-e262-4dbf-90c3-219ae7708c25","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6159b325-501b-4e3d-a9e2-2183b3888c00","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f00ebd94-c2d4-4bce-b4d1-cddc1a989b89","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 313.07179%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Coach Willie Green emphasizes defensive discipline, limiting Phoenix’s mid-range game, and outworking the Suns. Image -Getty images Learn more

Projected Starters

[{"selector":"#anim-649bb280-3699-4742-9b14-d08bc0ab8768 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(29.9767812426899%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b878b16a-1ec5-419e-8220-0978e602896e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e727d470-148e-4ddc-b8fb-1b0ca06dc167","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-98884d32-8a26-4575-bf84-97631bf10df4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2300,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-05b7a2d4-cff6-4c11-a863-dbcb43e824d3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8d9128e7-284a-4b36-9aef-3e4f5b174125","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-52fee79d-2bd8-4376-89bf-8bf1e0a24250","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 313.07179%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Suns: Tyus Jones , Booker, Richards, Bol Bol, Durant. Pelicans: McCollum, Murphy III, Missi, Matkovic, Williamson. Image -Getty images Learn more