“Absolutely criminal”: Suns fans in shambles despite massive win after 27-point lead nearly gets shredded in 4th quarter 

Despite the absence of Brandon Ingram, the New Orleans Pelicans were unable to secure a win against the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night, with the final score being 124-111 in favor of the Suns. Throughout the game, the Suns maintained a strong lead, even reaching a 27-point advantage. However, their struggles in the fourth quarter nearly jeopardized their victory as the Pelicans closed the gap to a mere seven points in the final minutes.

Despite facing issues, Phoenix has yet to find a solution for their struggles in the clutch. They rank as the lowest performing team in the NBA during the fourth quarter offensively with a rating of 104.3, and defensively they are among the bottom four with an efficiency of 118.6. This trend remains consistent whether they are dealing with injuries or not.

Despite the 13-point win, Suns fans were distraught over the team’s fourth-quarter struggles, fearing they almost let another opportunity slip away. One fan even went as far as criticizing coach Frank Vogel, saying:

“What Frank Vogel has done to this offense with two generational offensive players is absolutely criminal. It is unwatchable in 4th Q after 4th Q”

Additional reactions ensued:

Devin Booker’s Heroics Lead Suns to Victory With 50-Point Performance

Despite the New Orleans Pelicans putting up a tough fight, Devin Booker’s 37-point performance in the first half was the deciding factor in the Phoenix Suns’ must-win game. His 14 of 18 shooting gave the Suns a significant lead early on, allowing them to hold off a potential comeback from the Pelicans in the fourth quarter.

This was Booker’s second time scoring 50 points against the Pelicans. He previously had 58 points in a 118-114 victory on December 17, 2022. In Monday’s game, he recorded 52 points, making 19 out of 28 shots, including a personal best of eight three-pointers. Booker also had a strong performance from the free-throw line, making six out of seven attempts.

Despite Kevin Durant’s quiet night, Booker was undoubtedly the key player in Phoenix’s win. Scoring 20 points with a 36.8% shooting percentage, Durant was overshadowed by Booker’s impressive performance. Bradley Beal also contributed with 13 points on 5 of 8 shooting, but he played a supporting role to Booker, who seemed to be in a better rhythm. Additionally, Beal had nine rebounds, six assists, and two steals.

Despite the absence of Brandon Ingram due to a knee injury, the Pelicans put up a strong effort. Zion Williamson took charge with 30 points and five assists, contributing 11 points to give the team a chance to stage a comeback.

Trey Murphy recorded 21 points in the game, with CJ McCollum contributing 19 points and nine assists. Despite his 6 for 17 shooting performance, the outcome may have varied had he been more accurate with his shots.