Booker scores 30 points and leads the Suns past the Pelicans, 115-108

NEW ORLEANS (AP) – Devin Booker scored 30 points, including 12 in the fourth quarter, to lead the Phoenix Suns to a 115-108 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night in the opener of a two-game series.

The Suns trailed 100-97 after Zion Williamson hit a free throw with 4:58 left, but the Suns closed out New Orleans by outscoring the Pelicans 18-8 the rest of the way. Booker started the surge with two free throws, and Mark Williams then made four consecutive free throws and a dunk off an alley-oop feed from Booker. Williams finished with 24 points, including 10 in the final period, and 13 rebounds.

Williamson led the Pelicans with 20 points, eight rebounds and six assists, while Jordan Poole and Trey Murphy III had 19 points apiece. But the Pelicans hurt themselves with an abysmal night from the foul line, going 25 of 42.

The teams play again Saturday in New Orleans.

Williamson’s layup with 1:51 left cut the Suns’ lead to 107-106, but Phoenix iced the game with a 15-foot jumper by Collin Gillespie that started a five-point run in a 35-second span.

Despite shaky outside shooting – just 5 of 24 from long range – the Suns built a 53-48 halftime lead on the power of their rebounding. Phoenix outrebounded New Orleans 31-23 in the first half, including a 12-6 advantage on the offensive boards that led to a 17-6 edge in second-chance points.

Rasheer Fleming came off the bench in the second quarter with three layups in an 11-2 spurt to give the Suns a 44-37 lead. Poole kept the Pelicans close with 11 first-half points that included a pair of 25-footers and a four-point play.

The Pelicans missed seven free throws in the third quarter but still managed to close the deficit to 81-80 entering the final period.