The Pelicans knotted up their series with the top-seeded Suns on Sunday night, taking down the top team in the league behind a strong defensive effort and 30 points from forward Brandon Ingram.
The story of the series so far has been the defense of New Orleans against the high-powered Phoenix offense, which is no doubt hampered by the loss of star Devin Booker to a right hamstring strain in Game 2.
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But in Sunday night’s Game 4, Suns coach Monty Williams was unhappy with the free throw discrepancy in the contest.
The Pelicans shot 42 free throws on the night to the Suns’ 15 attempts. New Orleans shot 15 more free throws than Phoenix in the first half, a 17–2 disparity.
“It’s not like we don’t attack the basket,” Williams said after the game.
“They outplayed us; they deserve to win. That’s a free throw disparity you have to look at. … That’s hard to swallow.”
It was a notably physical game, and it has been a physical series throughout with two teams playing extremely hard. Given the nature of the style of the series, Williams doesn’t believe the free throw disparity should have been as wide as it was in Game 4.
“You can slice it any way you want to. In a playoff game that physical, [the disparity] is amazing. Coaches shouldn’t have to come up to the microphone and feel like they’re going to get their heads cut off for speaking the truth,” Williams said.
With the series tied 2–2, an important Game 5 looms on Tuesday night in Phoenix. Tip-off is set for 10 p.m. ET.
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