The Golden State Warriors have won seven of eight to start the season after beating the visiting New Orleans Pelicans 126-85 at San Francisco's Chase Center on Friday.
The Warriors endured a sluggish second quarter that saw them score just 16 points and allow Pels center Jonas Valanciunas to post 13 points and nine rebounds before halftime.
However, Golden State still led 54-50 at halftime and took complete control in the third quarter, outscoring the Pelicans 34-16 for an 88-66 edge heading into the final 12 minutes. They ended up outscoring the Pels 72-35 in the last two quarters.
Jordan Poole led all Warriors with 26 points, Curry added 19 and Andre Iguodala dished 10 assists.
Valanciunas finished with a 20-point, 15-rebound double-double. Golden State's bench outscored New Orleans' second unit 57-30.
The Pelicans continued to play without Zion Williamson (fractured right foot) and Brandon Ingram (right hip).
The Warriors are now tied with the Utah Jazz atop the Western Conference at 7-1. The 1-9 Pelicans are last in the West.
Notable Performances
Pelicans C Jonas Valanciunas: 20 points, 15 rebounds, 4 assists
Pelicans G Devonte' Graham: 12 points
Pelicans SF Josh Hart: 10 points, 9 rebounds
Warriors G Jordan Poole: 26 points
Warriors G Stephen Curry: 19 points, 6 assists, 2 blocks
Warriors F Draymond Green: 8 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals
Warriors F Andre Iguodala: 2 points, 10 assists, 2 steals
Warriors' Dominant 3rd Quarter Puts Pels Away
Golden State shot 10-of-31 from three-point range in the first half, with just two second-quarter makes. Meanwhile, the Warriors had no answer for Valanciunas, whose post dominance nearly single-handedly kept New Orleans in the game.
Still, the Warriors led by a pair of buckets going into the third quarter, and that's when Golden State took over.
The Warriors were excellent in transition, with Curry finding Poole for two thanks to this cross-court laser:
Golden State Warriors @warriorsthis pass from Stephen >>>> <a href="https://t.co/sZkx8Z9zgq">pic.twitter.com/sZkx8Z9zgq</a>
Curry also did work on the other end to hold the Pels to 16 third-quarter points:
Golden State Warriors @warriorsStephen said NAHHHH <a href="https://t.co/pPeJMQSy2d">pic.twitter.com/pPeJMQSy2d</a>
The quarter also featured a 10-0 run keyed by Gary Payton II, who had five points and an assist during that span. The scoring stretch included this three-point play after a Draymond Green assist in transition:
Golden State Warriors @warriors🗣️ AND 1 <a href="https://t.co/emRciD8A7T">pic.twitter.com/emRciD8A7T</a>
Payton's spark helped turn a 66-58 edge into a 76-58 lead. The other bucket in that stretch was a Wiggins dunk, which was created by another pinpoint dish from Green:
Golden State Warriors @warriors🥽🥽🥽 <a href="https://t.co/6Zm4AE3Isd">pic.twitter.com/6Zm4AE3Isd</a>
Payton created yet another highlight off another fantastic pass as he slammed the ball home after an Iguodala lob in the quarter's final minute:
Golden State Warriors @warriorsSHOWTIME <a href="https://t.co/PhsNM7C6jm">pic.twitter.com/PhsNM7C6jm</a>
Iguodala's excellent distribution set the stage for this blowout. He found Nemanja Bjelica with a behind-the-back bounce pass for two on the Warriors' previous bucket.
NBA @NBAAndre Iguodala up to 9 dimes on ESPN.. Draymond Green loves it! 😂 <a href="https://t.co/bglgcLyspi">pic.twitter.com/bglgcLyspi</a>
Golden State kept its foot on the gas in the fourth quarter as Curry and Green were able to rest for the final 12 minutes.
The benches cleared early en route to a monster Warriors win, which was a staple during Golden State's dynasty and appears to be once again as the 2021-22 Dubs continue crushing the league.
Pels Continue To Struggle Without Ingram, Williamson
The pair of Williamson and Ingram combined for 50.8 points, 12.1 rebounds and 8.6 assists during the 2020-21 season. The duo was sensational, but the Pels were not as they struggled to a 31-41 campaign.
New Orleans overhauled its roster over the offseason, to the point where just five of the top 12 per-game scorers from last year are still on the roster.
However, that hasn't led to any early-season success, with the Pels now sporting the NBA's worst record.
Granted, playing without Williamson and Ingram is a serious problem. They are the team's stars, and are expected to carry the Pels back to the playoffs. Replacing 50-plus points and 12-plus rebounds per night isn't an easy task for any rotation.
New Orleans is also learning on the fly with a new head coach (Willie Green) and a bunch of players cobbled together this offseason.
Only four of the nine players who were on the court for 18 or more minutes tonight played for the Pels last season (Josh Hart, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Kira Lewis Jr. and Naji Marshall).
With all that in mind, it's understandable why the Pels have started so poorly.
On the flip side, getting outscored by 37 points in any single half of basketball is concerning.
The Warriors crushed the Pels on both ends of the court. Even when the benches cleared, Golden State still dominated and led by as many as 44 points. A competitive first two quarters gave way to a nightmarish second half, leading to a 41-point defeat.
The Pels have now dropped three straight games by 12 or more points. Five of their nine losses have occurred via double digits.
They entered Friday ranked 24th in offensive rating and 29th in defensive rating, per Basketball-Reference.
It isn't going to get any easier with five of the Pels' next six games against teams with winning records. Three of those matchups are on the road.
Unfortunately, any hope the Pels have of making a late-season run for a play-in tournament berth could be extinguished by the end of the calendar year at this point, perhaps leading to a midseason fire sale at the trade deadline.
On the bright side, the season is only 10 games old, and the Pels do have time on their side (for now) to figure things out.
What's Next?
New Orleans will visit the Dallas Mavericks on Monday at 8:30 p.m. ET at the American Airlines Center.
Golden State will host the Houston Rockets on Sunday at 8:30 p.m.
Stephen Curry Drops 19 as Warriors Rout Pelicans, Improve to 7-1 - Bleacher Report
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