The Suns went with a new starting lineup as the team geared up to face the Pelicans on Friday night. With Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins coming to town, Head Coach Jay Triano went with a two-center lineup of Tyson Chandler and Greg Monroe.
Unfortunately for the Suns, this would not be enough to contain the Pelican’s duo as New Orleans took a double-digit lead in the first quarter.
“I think we just came out flat and we never really picked up our energy until later in the game when it really didn’t matter,” Marquese Chriss said. “I just think that’s something we have to learn from again, just growing pains, and it’s something that we can’t let keep happening.”
Although the Suns would outscore the Pelicans in the second half, they could not overcome their early deficit falling to New Orleans 115-91.
“I feel like from the jump we really weren’t playing hard,” Tyler Ulis said. “You know, as a young team, we really can’t come out cool and playing through the motions. We have to use our youth to our advantage, and I don’t think we did that.”
Even in the loss, Ulis had his highest scoring game of the year with 17 points while shooting 53 percent from the field.
The Suns will look to bounce back as the team hits the road for Minnesota on Sunday. Catch the action of Fox Sports Arizona.