The highest scoring duo in the 2022 NBA Playoffs is at it again tonight in the Smoothie King Center.
C.J. McCollum leads all scorers with 13 points and Brandon Ingram is right behind him with 12 as the New Orleans Pelicans lead the top seed Phoenix Suns 58-48 at halftime of Game 6 of their first-round series.
The Pelicans also lead the Suns in points in the paint 36-8.
New Orleans jumped out to their double-digit lead with a huge run at the end of the second quarter, despite starting center Jonas Valanciunas having to sit for much of it with three fouls.
Defensively, Pelicans wing defender Herb Jones already has three steals, and backup guard Jose Alvarado already has another viral moment to add to his scrapbook. The cult favorite in the Big Easy got the Smoothie King Center crowd to their feet after drawing a hard foul from Suns star Chris Paul.
Deandre Ayton leads the Suns with 12 points. Chris Paul has 10. Returning star Devin Booker, who sat for the last three games with a hamstring injury, has had a slow start with just two points in 13 minutes.
If the Pelicans can hold the lead, they'll force a decisive Game 7 in Phoenix on Saturday.