On Tuesday evening, the New Orleans Pelicans dropped their second straight recreation of the season to the undermanned Golden State Warriors, 124-106.
The Warriors performed with out famous person guard Steph Curry (ankle) and ahead Andrew Wiggins (again), however they confirmed their depth and system cohesiveness through the victory.
The Pelicans appeared poised to atone for his or her loss on Sunday towards the Portland Path Blazers by dominating the primary quarter of play. Brandon Ingram scored the primary 10 factors because the offense was clicking on all cylinders. New Orleans held a 20-point lead at one level. Defensively, the Pelicans held Golden State to only 21% taking pictures from the ground and held them scoreless for the ultimate 4:50 of the quarter.
New Orleans ended the primary quarter on a 13-0 run and held a 31-14 benefit.
That lead shortly dwindled because the Warriors opened the second quarter on a 10-0 run. Turnovers doomed the Pelicans many of the night. They dedicated 15 turnovers within the first half that led to 18 Golden State factors.
Willie Inexperienced’s crew could not capitalize on the Warriors’ errors within the first half, scoring simply two factors on Golden State turnovers. New Orleans’ stars performed like stars, with Zion Williamson scoring 19 factors within the half and Ingram chipping in 15. Nonetheless, they solely led 51-47 on the break.
Issues continued to go downhill because the Pelicans offense sputtered to search out consistency and the Golden State’s three-point taking pictures got here alive.
They outscored New Orleans 40-28 within the third interval, and so as to add insult to harm, Pelicans all-world defender Herb Jones left early within the third quarter with a shoulder harm after it was landed on by Warriors guard Brandon Podziemski.
With out Jones, New Orleans misplaced their premier perimeter defender, and with out guard Dejounte Murray, they struggled to cease Golden State from making exterior photographs. That included former Pelicans guard Buddy Hield, who struggled within the first half with solely three factors however got here alive to guide the Warriors to victory.
Hield scored 19 within the fourth quarter alone, whereas New Orleans perimeter scorers like CJ McCollum and Jordan Hawkins struggled to shoot the ball the whole night.
McCollum completed with simply 5 factors on 2/8 taking pictures, whereas Hawkins scored simply three factors in 26 minutes. Golden State feasted on the Pelicans’ errors, turning the 23 New Orleans turnovers into 32 factors. The Warriors dedicated simply eight turnovers on the night.
Williamson completed the sport with 31 factors in half-hour, whereas Ingram contributed 30, however the remainder of their teammates mixed for 45 factors on the evening.
That features three Pelicans starters combining for 15 factors, whereas the crew solely tried 22 three-pointers on the night. Golden State made 21 photographs from distance of their 46 makes an attempt.
The 2 groups play once more on Wednesday evening.
If Jones cannot play on Wednesday, the stress mounts on gamers like Javonte Inexperienced and Hawkins to play stable protection and knock down photographs.
New Orleans ends its present street journey after that contest earlier than returning dwelling for a five-game homestand beginning on Friday evening.
