The New Orleans Pelicans hosted the Golden State Warriors at Smoothie King Arena Monday night. Golden State needed a win to stay a half-game ahead of Memphis for the eighth seed in the West standings. However, this holds slightly less value given the play-in format of this NBA season. The Pelicans’ hopes of post-season play are wearing thin, as they sit 2.5 games behind the final play-in spot.
Curry starts on fire
Stephen Curry’s stellar play for Golden State as of late continued into Monday’s matchup. The 2-time MVP got off to a hot start, dropping 17 points in the first quarter alone. Behind Curry, Golden State built a 20-point lead in the opening frame that would keep them comfortable for the game’s duration.
“Everywhere he runs on the floor – with or without the ball – teams are terrified,” Warriors forward Draymond Green said. “The guy can take over a game and make it hard for any team in the NBA on any given night.”
The Pels trailed by as many as 25 in the first half. Yet, a short hook from Willie Hernangomez pulled them within just 6 points with 5 minutes left in the third. A 16 to 5 Warriors run added the padding back to their cushion, with Curry nailing a step-back triple to give his team a 92-76 advantage.
Sealing the deal
Despite Green and Curry resting to start the fourth, Andrew Wiggins kept Golden State in control early on. Wiggins scored 10 of his 26 points in the quarter, helping to prevent a surge from the Pelicans. Curry picked up where he left off upon checking back in the game, leading Golden State (33-32) to a 123-108 win over the Pelicans (29-36).
Curry finished with 41 points and 8 dimes, while Green added 10 points, 15 assists, and 13 rebounds for his 29th career triple-double.
“It’s just a matter of staying in the moment, enjoying what I get to do, having the utmost confidence in what I can do out on the floor, and just enjoying the challenge because I know I’ve got to play well for us to be who we want to be this year,” Curry said.
Zion Williamson scored 32 points for the Pelicans, and Brandon Ingram added 19 points. Hernangomez, Eric Bledsoe, and Naji Marshall combined for 33 points, while Lonzo Ball added 7 points to go with 7 boards and 8 assists.
The two teams still have two more matchups against each other as the regular season ends. Each game is critical for the Pelicans if they want any shot at the play-in tournament.
Up Next
Golden State stays in New Orleans to face the Pelicans again Tuesday night at 5:00 p.m. PST. They will then head home for their final six regular-season games. For the Pelicans, a five-game road trip follows the rematch with Golden State.
