PHOENIX – Familiar names such as Devin Booker and T.J. Warren have been replaced by a cast of mostly unproven, inexperienced types. But for New Orleans, that certainly doesn’t mean it would be wise to let its guard down Friday, when the Pelicans (44-34) face the Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena. It’s a critical game in the desert, with seventh-place New Orleans moving up to fifth or sixth with a win, but potentially dropping to ninth if it is beaten by Phoenix.
“I think you’ve got to be even more on guard, because they’re unpredictable, and you know they’re going to play hard and fight,” said Pelicans guard E’Twaun Moore of the Suns, who have an extremely lengthy injury list that includes Booker and Warren.