Phoenix Suns Win Back-to-Back in New Orleans as Team Starts Finding Its Groove -

Phoenix – The Phoenix Suns are finally starting to look like a team building winning habits.

After going into New Orleans for back-to-back games and winning both, Phoenix handled business on the road and showed the type of poise that playoff teams eventually have to develop. Now sitting at 18–13 and seventh in the Western Conference, the Suns are far from finished products — but they are clearly trending in the right direction.

This stretch matters not just because of the standings, but because of how it’s happening. The Suns are beginning to show they can win ugly, stay composed through bad stretches, and close games in hostile buildings. That travel focus, especially around the holidays, is something that can easily derail teams. Instead, Phoenix leaned in and took control of the trip.

Surviving an ugly one

Friday’s win in New Orleans was the definition of a grinder. Phoenix turned the ball over far too often, put the Pelicans on the free-throw line repeatedly, and couldn’t buy a shot from deep. On most nights, that combination sends teams home with a loss.

Instead, the Suns hung on and finished the job.

Phoenix committed a pile of turnovers early and allowed the Pelicans to hang around instead of putting the game away. Even when the Suns built small leads, mistakes cracked the door open again. At one point, the crowd woke up after a brief dust-up, and the energy clearly shifted.

And still, the Suns didn’t fold.

They leaned on second-chance scoring, key rim runs, and just enough late-game execution to escape with a win — the type of contest they weren’t finishing a few weeks earlier.

Key performances

A few performances stood out:

Devin Booker was again the anchor, scoring efficiently while also rebounding and facilitating at a high level. He controlled the tempo when the game got chaotic and limited mistakes in the second half.
Mark Williams gave Phoenix exactly what they needed inside — physical rim pressure, activity on the glass, and timely finishes that created much-needed spacing when shots weren’t falling.
Dillon Brooks supplied energy, edge, and just enough scoring. His presence clearly ignited the Pelicans crowd — and Phoenix responded instead of shrinking.
Collin Gillespie and Ryan Dunn delivered important late-game plays — a mid-range jumper, a block, and a lob finish — small moments that decide ugly games.

There was also a positive note regarding injuries: Dunn returned after a scary knee moment, and Rasheer Fleming logged rotation minutes that should boost the rookie’s confidence moving forward.

Reality check and what’s next

The Suns still have issues to fix:

too many turnovers
too much fouling
streaky three-point shooting
occasional lapses in focus

They also still aren’t healthy. Grayson Allen’s knee remains a concern, and his absence shows up in spacing and perimeter defense.

But the difference now is this:

Phoenix is starting to win while imperfect.

Championship-caliber teams don’t wait to be flawless — they learn how to win while sorting out the flaws. Back-to-back road wins in the same building — especially against a physical team — are the type of stretches that build belief.

The bottom line

The Suns are finding a groove.

They are showing signs of identity.
They are stacking road wins.
They are closing out games they would have lost earlier.

There is still work ahead — climbing the standings, getting healthy, cleaning up mistakes — but Phoenix went to New Orleans and treated it like business.

And right now, that’s exactly what playoff teams do.