This game has to be one of the most anticipated games all year, with the return of a healthy Zion Williamson. Last year while star player Zion Williamson was out, his team, the New Orleans Pelicans, took a 2-4 loss to the Phoenix Suns in the playoffs last year. This playoff loss the Pelicans took personally, considering they were missing their most valuable player.
December 9, 2022, was the revenge game for the Nola Pelicans. A healthy Pelicans team can be scary in the postseason, and we got a taste of how dangerous they can be. Zion Williamson had a season-high of 35 points, 4 assists, and 8 rebounds, completely dominating the game. Towards the end of the game, to add insult to injury, Zion did a 360 dunk which some Suns players found disrespectful, which caused a scuffle at the end. Zion stated in his postgame interview, “That was out of character for me, but they put my brothers out of the playoffs last year.”
This was a statement game for the Pelicans showing the world that they are unstoppable with a healthy lineup. In professional sports, it’s hard to beat a team twice in a row, especially on short notice. December 11, 2022, The Suns got their opportunity to get a rematch for the dominant performance displayed by the Pelicans.
The Pelicans drafted star point guard for the Suns, Chris Paul, in 2005 in the first round, so getting payback on his old team and from another night’s loss was the only thing on his mind. Paul had a low statistical game, only having 6 points, 11 assists, and 3 rebounds, not enough to take down the Pelicans in overtime. That night Zion Williamson dominated again, having 35 points, 3 assists, and 8 rebounds, with the help of his guard CJ McCollum having 29 points, 7 assists, and 4 rebounds. The Pelicans are currently the number one seed in the Western Conference and have proven they are a threat to become.
Rivalries through the NBA always make the games more interesting, and with the birth of this one, a new one has begun.
