The Warriors set the tone quickly in this game, getting the entire team involved, setting up a blowout win against the Pelicans in Game 1. Draymond Green was a huge part of that, grabbing a triple-double with 16 points, 15 rebounds, and 11 assists. The Warriors had it going from every angle tonight as Klay Thompson finished with 27 points and Kevin Durant finished with 26 points.
Many thought after a powerful sweep against the Blazers, that the Pelicans had a chance to make noise against this Warriors team. Sure, it’s only one game, but the Warriors look as if the switch has flipped. Whatever struggles they had against a fundamentally sound Spurs team, they worked those out in the first round, and came out firing on all cylinders in Game 1 of the second.
And if you’re the Pelicans, it’s just one game. Anything can happen in Game 2. But there is a rumor Steph Curry will be back.
Warriors 123, Pelicans 101 - Final
We’ll try this again on Tuesday night.
Warriors 113, Pelicans 85 - 6:12 4Q
This team, y’all.... pic.twitter.com/lo9PRrXKgw — Golden State of Mind (@unstoppablebaby) April 29, 2018
Warriors 103, Pelicans 74 - End of 3Q
Yes, we still have another quarter to go. Durant is up to 26 points. It’s been a rough night for the Pelicans, unable to stop the Warriors in transition, and unable to get anything going offensively.
An atrocious Pels shot chart. 8/36 on 2s outside the restricted area. 1/15 on floaters. Only 17 3s, 8 FTA. pic.twitter.com/ouJJ5miVVV — Nate Duncan (@NateDuncanNBA) April 29, 2018
Warriors 91, Pelicans 66 - 5:40 3Q
Draymond Green has his triple-double and Golden State’s lead continues to climb.
Warriors 76, Pelicans 55 - Halftime
A 41-POINT QUARTER FOR THE WARRIORS. SHEESH.
KD has 18 points.
Klay has 18 points.
Draymond has 12 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 assists.
And the Pelicans’ Darius Miller has this 75-foot shot at the buzzer. This was incredible.
What a buzzer beater from Miller pic.twitter.com/DDCTsozXxz — Born Salty (@cjzero) April 29, 2018
Warriors 69, Pelicans 48 - 2:54 2Q
Golden State is on a 17-2 run and this has gotten out of hand so quickly. Kevin Durant is up to 18 points.
Warriors 58, Pelicans 46 - 5:36 2Q
Okay the Warriors are really clicking right now but can we take a second to acknowledge that Rajon Rondo has nine assists already?!
Warriors 45, Pelicans 39 - 9:32 2Q
The Warriors just went on a 6-0 and run and well ...
Oracle sounds like a damn airplane taking off when the Warriors go on a run. — The Bird WWWWWWWWWrites (@thebirdwrites) April 29, 2018
Warriors 35, Pelicans 34 - End of 1Q
This one is a shootout early and the Pelicans are hanging around. Kevin Durant leads the way with 12 points for the Warriors and Anthony Davis has 10 for the Pelicans.
And Beyonce is at the game!
Warriors 16, Pelicans 16 - 5:25 1Q
Plenty of scoring and beautiful basketball to start this one. Anthony Davis already has eight points in this quarter.
The Golden State Warriors and New Orleans Pelicans kick off the second round of the 2018 NBA playoffs on Saturday night with Game 1 at Oracle Arena in Oakland, the start of a highly-anticipated matchup in the Western Conference.
Stephen Curry was first listed as questionable for Saturday night’s opener, but then ruled out for Game 1. He missed the final 10 games of the regular season with a sprained left MCL, which kept him out of the first round as well.
Golden State beat the San Antonio Spurs in the first round in five games.
“I want to be out there. Obviously I’m competitive and I want to be out there with my teammates,” Curry told reporters on Friday. “When we’re a full squad we’re tough to beat. I want to be out there in the fray with my guys. That’s what it’s all about.”
The impact of Curry is undeniable. With their point guard in the lineup during the regular season Golden State was 41-10. Without him they were 17-14.
With or without Curry the Warriors are still formidable, especially with Kevin Durant picking up the slack (averaging 28.2 points in the first round) or Klay Thompson shooting the lights out (16-for-31, 51.6% on threes against the Spurs) or Draymond Green nearly averaging a triple-double (11.4 points, 11.2 rebounds, 8.0 assists in the first round).
Golden State faces a Pelicans team that is red hot after running roughshod through the Portland Trail Blazers in a first-round sweep. New Orleans has won nine straight games entering Saturday’s Game 1, but also hasn’t played in a week.
Anthony Davis was dominant per usual in the first round, averaging 33 points, 11.8 rebounds and 2.8 blocks against Portland. But he was supported by the stellar play of Jrue Holliday, who provided excellent defense while also averaging 27.8 points during the series. Davis scored 47 and Holliday poured in 41 in the Pelicans’ Game 4 clincher against the Blazers, a rare duo of 40-point teammates in the playoffs.
Anthony Davis & Jrue Holiday became the 6th pair of teammates to each score 40+ points in the same #NBAPlayoff game. The last teammates to reach that mark were LeBron James and Kyrie Irving (2016). The first pair to do so were Jerry West and Elgin Baylor (1962). pic.twitter.com/UvHeky3U5s — NBA.com/Stats (@nbastats) April 22, 2018
Golden State won three of the four regular season meetings with the Pelicans this season, but New Orleans’ lone win came in Oakland on Apr. 7, a game without Curry.
Warriors vs. Pelicans Game 1 info
Location: Oracle Arena, Oakland, Calif.
Game time: 10:30 p.m. ET
TV: TNT
Announcers: Marv Albert, Chris Webber, David Aldridge
Online streaming: Watch TNT
