Warriors Squeak Out Narrow Win Over the New Orleans Pelicans
Following a disappointing loss to the Blazers that knocked them out of the NBA Cup knockout rounds last week, the Warriors needed to bounce back. With a tough upcoming schedule, this was their chance to regain some early-season momentum. The team from the Bay passed their first test in beating the struggling Jazz, followed by a game that ultimately slipped from their grasp against the Rockets. In that contest, Golden State lost their superstar guard Stephen Curry, who suffered a quad injury during the fourth quarter. To head coach Steve Kerr and the rest of the fanbase’s relief, the greatest shooter of all time will remain sidelined for only a week.
Today, they faced a different challenge in the form of a “you need to take care of business here” game against the abysmal Pelicans. New Orleans sits dead last in the Western Conference standings and has won only one of its last 12 matches. In a rebuilding year around a refocused Zion Williamson, the Pelicans looked to pull off a major upset and overcome their issues on the road. The Warriors had a difficult time building an early lead and even got outscored in the third frame, a rare occurrence under coach Kerr. This low-scoring affair entered crunch time with the two teams exchanging buckets and leads, although the Warriors finally found another gear.
Golden State went on an 11-0 run, with seven of those points coming from their defensive menace Gary Payton II. GP2 offered a pleasant offensive surprise, providing an unlikely 19 points off the bench as well as 11 rebounds, a team high. It felt like the Warriors needed every single one of his buckets, and he will be called upon to continue stepping up in Curry’s absence as a veteran presence. Jimmy Butler led his team in both points with 25 and assists with 10, while also finishing with an impressive +22. He also came just two rebounds shy of a triple double, although that does not take anything away from a brilliant performance by player 10.
Though winning without Curry should encourage fans, the skill gap between these teams suggests that the victory margin should have been larger. Golden State did well to avoid self-destruction with just nine turnovers for the entire game, although that is expected against a bottom-five team in defensive rating. As a final note, it is also worth mentioning that Jonathan Kuminga did not see much action for yet another game. He played just 19 minutes, which does not fare well for a player who relies on volume to boost his effectiveness. For the Warriors to reach their peak, they will need the former first-round pick at his best, and it appears that coach Kerr is still looking for the best way to bring that to life.
