A Phoenix Suns public relations official walked through the pressroom before Friday’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans and announced to the assembled media, “Everybody is out.”
It wasn’t an exaggeration.
Devin Booker, T.J. Warren, Troy Daniels, Elfrid Payton, Tyson Chandler and Alan Williams would all miss the game. The Suns had 10 healthy bodies, and four of those spent most of the season in the G-League.
Making matters worse: The Pelicans needed to win, coming into the game tied for the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference but only a half game from falling out of the postseason.