The New Orleans Pelicans played at their season's peak to take a 125-114 win from the Phoenix Suns in The Valley.

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[{"selector":"#anim-11ced2cd-6922-400a-baca-87925b433a80 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(10.279378833114682%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3959edbc-c072-4818-b830-ba2c9eeafba0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6972423f-0db4-4e2e-be12-e8875cd7cfb1","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.92064%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Brandon Ingram scored 37 points, CJ McCollum added 23, and the Pelicans will head back to New Orleans with a chance to take control of the series.

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The hard-fought win was the team's first playoff victory since 2018. In a game of minor adjustments, Green said, "The most important thing with our group is we just kept our poise.

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They made some runs. (We came) out and executed over and over again in the last five minutes of the game."

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Brandon Ingram told the television broadcast crew he "started aggressively," but it was his 26 second-half points that secured the win.

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Ingram added 11 rebounds and nine assists, falling just short of his first career triple-double in just his second playoff game.

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