The Phoenix Suns take on the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night at 7 pm at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans.
The first-round Western Conference NBA Playoffs series is tied 1-1.
Follow our updates throughout the game.
The game is now airing on ESPN after starting on ESPN2. It can also be seen on Bally Sports Arizona and Bally Sports New Orleans.
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Suns grab some momentum midway through second quarter vs. Pelicans
The Suns fell behind seven points early in the second quarter after the Pelicans opened the quarter with a couple of 3-pointers, but they have battled back to take a 40-39 lead with 6:10 left before halftime, grabbing the lead on a nice dunk from Landy Shamet in transition.
Shamet has been key for the Suns off the bench in the first half. He only has four points, but has provided Phoenix a big boost.
The Pelicans are 5-for-11 from 3-point range and the Suns are just 3-for-13.
New Orleans also has a 21-10 rebounding advantage, but the Suns have the advantage on the scoreboard.
Close first quarter between Suns and Pelicans
The Suns trail at the end of the first quarter of Game 3, 29-28.
Just four players have scored for the Suns: Deandre Ayton has 13 points, while Cameron Johnson, Chris Paul and JaVale McGee have five points each.
Brandon Ingram leads the Pelicans with nine points.
Phoenix is 12-for-25 from the field. New Orleans is 10-for-21.
Phoenix had a lineup of Cam Johnson, Cam Payne, Landry Shamet, Torrey Craig and JaVale McGee the last couple of minutes in the quarter and the Suns last a little bit of ground during their time on the court.
Payne, Craig and McGee are -6 on the court.
The team’s defensive intensity was a lot better in the first quarter, however, than it was in Game 2 and the bench is really into the game, which could be good signs for Phoenix.
How important is Game 3 of a 1-1 series?
ESPN had a graphic up saying that the winner of Game 3 in a seven-game series tied 1-1 went on to win the series 73% of the time.
So, it’s pretty important for both of these teams to get the victory tonight.
Both teams would obviously rather be up 2-1 than face a 1-2 deficit.
Deandre Ayton impressing early for Suns vs Pelicans
Suns center Deandre Ayton is off to an impressive start for Phoenix in Game 3 of its NBA Playoffs series against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Ayton has 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting, including a 3-pointer as the Suns have grabbed a 23-18 lead with 3:38 left in the first quarter.
He also has three rebounds, a steal and a block.
Chris Paul has five points for the Suns and Cameron Johnson has five, with those three players accounting for all of Phoenix’s points.
CJ McCollum leads New Orleans with seven points. Brandon Ingram has five.
Suns vs. Pelicans game airing on ESPN2
The Suns vs. Pelicans game is currently airing on ESPN2 as the Atlanta Hawks vs. Miami Heat game nears its conclusion on ESPN.
The Game 3 between Phoenix and New Orleans will switch to ESPN once that Eastern Conference NBA Playoffs game concludes.
The game is also on Bally Sports Arizona and Bally Sports New Orleans.
Pelicans grab early lead on Suns in Game 3
The Pelicans have a 12-10 lead on the Suns with 6:27 left in the first quarter.
Cameron Johnson, filling in for an injured Devin Booker, has five early points for Phoenix, while Brandon Ingram leads New Orleans with five points of his own.
New Orleans has eight rebounds in the early going, compared to four for the Suns. The Pelicans have dominated the glass so far this series.
New Orleans is 5-for-11 from the field. Phoenix is 4 for 11.
Cam Johnson starting in place of Devin Booker for Suns vs Pelicans
The Suns have one change to their starting lineup form the first two games of the series.
With Devin Booker out with a hamstring injury, Cam Johnson is getting the start.
Chris Paul, Jae Crowder, Mikal Bridges and Deandre Ayton are the rest of Phoenix’s starters.
The Pelicans are going with their same starting lineup from the first two games of the series: Brandon Ingram and Jaxson Hayes at forward, Jonas Valanciunas at center and Herbert Jones and CJ McCollum at guard.
Click here to read more on the injury status of Devin Booker.
The Suns are wearing their white Association Edition uniform for Game 3, while the Pelicans are wearing their red Statement Edition uniform.
Suns vs Pelicans Game 3 tip off delayed
The tip-off of the Suns vs. Pelicans game in New Orleans has been pushed back from 6:30 pm MST to 7 pm MST.
The game will still air on ESPN, Bally Sports Arizona and Bally Sports New Orleans.
Mark Jones and Doris Burke will have the call for ESPN in Game 3, with Cassidy Hubbarth as the sideline reporter.
The Atlanta Hawks and Miami Heat game, scheduled for 4 pm MST on ESPN, was delayed due to a “State Farm Arena security issue” in Atlanta, the Heat and NBA announced, resulting in the Suns vs. Pelicans game being pushed back.
Game 3 of the first-round series in the Eastern Conference was scheduled to begin on ESPN at 4:15 pm MST, but broadcaster Mike Greenberg informed viewers that tip off was pushed back by 30 minutes after a suspicious package was found outside of State Farm Arena next to the Dominique Wilkins statue.
The other playoff game Friday night, the Milwaukee Bucks vs. Chicago Bulls, is still scheduled for 5:30 pm MST on ABC.
Click here for more about the delay in the Hawks vs. Heat game.
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Devin Booker’s injury has lowered the Suns’ chances to win the 2022 NBA title.
Phoenix had been favored to win the NBA Championship entering the postseason, but the Golden State Warriors, who are off to a 3-0 series lead on the Denver Nuggets, are the new favorites in recently released odds from Tipico Sportsbook.
It has the Warriors at +280 to win the title. The Suns are now tied for second in odds to take home the championship with the Boston Celtics, at +500.
The Miami Heat are +600 to win the title. The Milwaukee Bucks are +750.
The Warriors are +115 to win the Western Conference, with the Suns second at +210. The Memphis Grizzlies are third at +400.
As for the result of the Suns vs. Pelicans series, Tipico Sportsbook has Phoenix winning the series in seven games at +250. The Suns are +260 to win in six games and +330 to win in five games.
It has the Pelicans at +600 to win in six games and +750 to win in seven games. New Orleans is +1500 to win the series in five games.
It has the Suns at -319 to win the series and the Pelicans at +220.
Click here to see each NBA Playoff team’s title odds entering the postseason.
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The Suns are a 2.5-point favorite in the game against the Pelicans on Friday night, according to Tipico Sportsbook.
Phoenix is -140 on the money line and New Orleans is +115.
The over/under for the game is set at 216.5 points.
Click here for picks and predictions for the Suns vs. Pelicans game on Friday night.
More:NBA Playoffs odds: Money lines, point spreads, over/unders for 2022 NBA postseason games
The game will be broadcast on ESPN, Bally Sports Arizona and Bally Sports New Orleans beginning at 6:30 pm Arizona time.
Mark Jones and Doris Burke will have the call for ESPN in Game 3, with Cassidy Hubbarth as the sideline reporter.
Click here to see the entire Suns vs. Pelicans NBA Playoffs series schedule.
More:NBA Playoffs schedule, TV information: How to watch 2022 NBA postseason
Suns vs Pelicans: Game 3 pregame reading
Reach Jeremy Cluff at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.
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