Attempting to post consecutive victories over the Western Conference’s top seed and seize a lead in a best-of-seven series Friday, New Orleans played Phoenix evenly for three-plus quarters. In crunch time, a familiar face in the Crescent City carried the Suns to victory. After the Pelicans sliced into a 13-point second-half deficit, Phoenix guard Chris Paul – the all-time New Orleans leader in a few statistical categories – went on a fourth-quarter scoring barrage from mid-range. For the second time in the series, the Suns used a late outburst from their veteran All-Star floor general to overtake the Pelicans.
Game 3 playoff postgame wrap: No. 1 Suns 114, No. 8 Pelicans 111
