Grayson Allen had career highs with 42 points and 10 3-pointers, Royce O’Neale added 14 points and four more threes, and the host Phoenix Suns rolled over the undermanned New Orleans Pelicans 121-98 on Monday.
Allen, 10 of 15 from distance, set a franchise record for threes in a game while taking over the NBA lead with 46 this season.
Devin Booker added 19 points and Dillon Brooks had 18 for the Suns (6-5), who have won five of six. They are over .500 for the first time since losing four in a row after a season-opening victory.
Trey Murphy III had 21 points and 10 rebounds, Saddiq Bey had 15 points, and Jeremiah Fears had 15 points and three threes for the Pelicans, who have lost eight of 10 and were without Zion Williamson (hamstring), Jordan Poole (quad) and Yves Missi (illness).
Allen set his scoring high on a reverse layup with 10:05 remaining for a 103-76 lead after hitting his 10th three a minute earlier. He received a standing ovation when he checked out at 8:40.
Allen has made at least three three-pointers in nine games this season, and he has at least four in each of the last five games. He is 27 for 49 during that run.
The Suns shot 50.0 percent from the field and made 19 of 43 three-pointers, one short of their season high.
The Pelicans shot 41.0 percent and were 10 of 32 from distance.
Allen and O’Neale began their three-point barrage in the second quarter. Each made three threes and Isaiah Livers had one during a 22-5 run as the Suns blew the game open to take a 54-30 lead.
O’Neale’s three from the left side with 21.2 seconds remaining gave the Suns a 64-41 halftime lead. The Suns were 9 of 13 from distance in the second quarter, tying a franchise record for the second-most makes in a quarter.
