Suns are through to the next round

Chris Paul scored 33 points in an ideal evening as the visiting Phoenix Suns crushed the New Orleans Pelicans 115-109 to secure their first-round Western Conference season playoff series in Game 6 on Thursday night. Paul made every one of the 14 of his field-point attempt and all four of his free tosses, and Devin Booker got back from a hamstring injury and scored five of his 13 points in the last two minutes.

Deandre Ayton had 22 points, Mikal Bridges scored 18 and Cameron Johnson chipped in 13 for the high flying Suns, who will next confront the fourth-placed Dallas Mavericks. Brandon Ingram scored 21 points and 11 assists, and Herbert Jones and CJ McCollum ended the day with 16 each for the Pelicans.