Suns Strokes: Bledsoe, Morris key second straight win over Pelicans
Nov 11, 2013, 4:53 AM
PHOENIX — Apparently, someone forgot to tell the Suns they aren’t supposed to be any good this season.
They win their second straight and at 5-2 are three games over .500 for the first time since April 19, 2012 (33-30) after beating the New Orleans Pelicans by a final of 101-94 in front of 13,154 at US Airways Center.
Eric Bledsoe scored 18 of his game-high 24 points in the second half. Markieff Morris added 23 to record his third straight game of 20 or more points. He’s shooting 78.9 percent (30-of-38) during this stretch.
Playing for the first time in a week and coming off the bench, Goran Dragic finished with 12 points. He had missed the past three games due to a sprained left ankle.
The Suns have won five straight home games dating to last season.
THE GOOD
Jeff Hornacek became the first head coach in franchise history to start his career 4-0 at home. The Suns, meanwhile, are 4-0 at home for the first time since the 2009-10 season, in which the Suns started 10-0 at US Airways Center.
THE BAD
The Suns committed five turnovers over an eight-possession stretch midway through the third quarter, prompting a timeout from Hornacek.
STAT OF THE GAME
After missing their first ten three-pointers of the game and being 1-of-12 at halftime, the Suns shot 6-of-12 from long range in the second half, including 4-of-6 in the fourth quarter.
HE SAID IT
“I didn’t think we played all that well. The guys didn’t think they played that well,” Hornacek said. “We still got a win and scored 101 points and only gave up 94, so I think that’s probably a sign that they’re growing and they have confidence that they can win these games; fourth quarter they don’t get rattled.”
NOTED
Morris is only the third player in the NBA since September 2, 1989 to record three consecutive games of shooting at least 75 percent from the floor on at least 12 attempts. He joins Dwight Howard (three straight, Feb. 20-24, 2008) and Charles Barkley (three straight, Nov. 1-15, 1991).
Rookie center Alex Len did not dress, sitting out his fifth straight game as he continues to deal with soreness in his left ankle.
UP NEXT
The Suns hit the road. They travel to Portland for a game against the Trail Blazers — whom they defeated on opening night 104-91 — on Wednesday, November 13. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. MST with pregame coverage beginning 30 minutes earlier on Arizona Sports 620.
