The New Orleans Pelicans had been consistent marksmen on free throws for 11 games in a row.
Then they went out and shot the most free throws they have attempted in a game this season.
But somehow things didn’t work out in a 115-108 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Friday night in the Smoothie King Center.
They didn’t work out primarily because the Pelicans (8-24), after making 80 percent or more of their free throws in their last 11 games, suddenly lost their touch, shooting just 59.5 percent (25 of 42). Phoenix didn’t get to the foul line as often, but it made better use of its time there by shooting 76 percent (19 pf 25).
New Orleans doesn’t have a whole lot of time to work on its foul shooting because it will be back in the Smoothie King Center to play the Suns (17-13) again at 6 p.m. Saturday.
The Pelicans might have been able to overcome the poor foul shooting if they could have slowed down Devin Booker or Mark Williams or kept the Suns off the offensive glass with any consistency.
But they couldn’t.
Booker scored 30 points, making 10-of-16 field-goal attempts (including 1-of-3 3-pointers) and 9-of-11 free throws. Williams had 24 points (shooting 9-of-13 from the floor and 6-of-8 on free throws), and he grabbed 13 rebounds.
Phoenix had a 53-37 advantage in rebounds, notably getting 16 on the offensive glass, leading to 23 second-chance points. New Orleans finished with 20 second-chance points on eight offensive rebounds.
“There were a lot of ‘controllables’ out there that we didn’t take care of,” Pelicans interim head coach James Borrego said. “Hit your free throws, box out, hit somebody, and go get a rebound.”
Collin Gillespie added 16 points and Dillon Brooks scored 14 for the Suns, who outscored the Pelicans 34-28 in the fourth quarter, led by Booker’s 12.
Zion Williams led New Orleans with 20 points, Trey Murphy III (the only Pelicans starter in double figures) and Jordan Poole scored 19 each and Jose Alvarado added 11. The New Orleans bench outscored the Phoenix bench 60-28.
Phoenix increased its five-point halftime lead to nine early in the third quarter, but Alvarado became the eighth Pelican to score in the period, making a layup and a 3-pointer to trim the lead to 74-73.
Booker answered with a three-point play, but New Orleans climbed back within 81-80 at the end of the third quarter.
Williamson had five points and assisted on Murphy’s 3-pointer as the Pelicans grabbed a 90-85 lead early in the fourth quarter. Booker scored nine points and the Suns took a 96-94 lead midway through the quarter.
New Orleans scored five straight to take a three-point lead before Phoenix scored six straight to take a 103-100 lead. The Pelicans got within one, but consecutive baskets by Gillespie and Williams gave the Suns a five-point lead with 44.9 seconds left.
“We put ourselves in a good position,” Borrego said. “We didn’t make enough plays (after that). We didn’t knock down free throws (or) make shots. We could have been better down the stretch.”
The Suns beat the Pelicans 121-98 on Nov. 10 in Phoenix when Grayson Allen made 10-of-15 3-pointers and scored 42 points, but did not play Friday because of a knee injury.
Borrego said before the game that his team’s biggest emphasis was on keeping the Suns off the offensive glass, but they weren’t successful in the first half.
Phoenix led by as many as seven points in the first quarter as it had 11 second-chance points off seven offensive rebounds, though Poole’s four-point play helped New Orleans get within 26-23 at the end of the period.
Poole made a 3-pointer to start the second-quarter scoring and his layup gave the Pelicans a 35-33 lead.
The Suns continued to have success with offensive rebounds, grabbing five for six second-chance points to help them lead by seven twice on their way to a 53-48 halftime edge.
Yves Missi played all 18 of his minutes in the second half as Borrego turned to him to help slow down Phoenix on the offensive glass. Missi finished with just three rebounds, but the 6-foot-11 center’s physicality did get in the Suns’ way and they had just six second-chance points on four offensive rebounds after halftime.