The New Orleans Pelicans solidified their top spot in the Western Conference with a huge 129-124 overtime victory over the Phoenix Suns, and a big chunk of the credit needs to go to Zion Williamson who played some great bully ball throughout the game on the way to 35 points, eight rebounds, three assists and a steal. He also shot 14 of 21 from the field and in crunch time it looked like there was nothing the Suns could do to physically stop him. 

Williamson’s contribution was important especially as Brandon Ingram is still out, but a large amount of credit for today’s win also needs to go to CJ McCollum, who finally came out of a scoring slump to finish with 29 points, four rebounds, seven assists and two steals. It’s the first time that McCollum had broken the 20-point barrier in his last seven games. During that span, he also went on a three-game run where he didn’t even score in double digits.

McCollum’s return to form came at a great time, because Williamson has been playing excellently throughout the Pelicans’ current win streak. 

The scary thing for the Western Conference is that the Pelicans will only get better once Ingram gets back on the court. They’re already hitting their stride with a healthy Williamson, and once their star trio of Williamson, Ingram and McCollum can get extended time together, they’re going to to be a problem. 

If the Pelicans’ star trio starts to really get into a groove, they’re going to be a real problem for the rest of the league. It must be an exciting time to be one of their fans, and it’s good to see them having fun on the court. Considering how tough the Western Conference is this season, it’s certainly surprising that the Pelicans have found themselves at the top of the heap early on.