New Orleans Pelicans out talented by Golden State Warriors, lose 85-112
The Golden State Warriors defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 112-85. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports[/caption]Sometimes the other team is just better than you. These games are winnable because this is the NBA, but if the talent disparity is big enough then you’ll have to play perfect to give yourself a chance . Tonight, the New Orleans Pelicans didn’t play a perfect game. Once the Golden State Warriors took a second quarter lead, they never looked backed, finishing the game up 27 points. A large part of this was because of the bench, as soon as they came into the game, the lead was relinquished, and a deficit formed. The starters had to come back into the game trying to play catch up. Let us all remember that one glorious moment, where New Orleans was leading at the end of the first quarter, the lead was never seen again.
D+. Jrue Holiday struggled all night long, never getting any flow together. Things were going well early on, the ball was moving, and the team was in synch. But once the Warriors adjusted on defense, and the bench came in, it all fell apart. Holiday did not play well in a catch up offense, and was growing tired from guarding Steph Curry. Curry played like an MVP candidate, and Holiday what he could, but it wasn’t enough. This is a game he will be hoping to forget.. PG. New Orleans Pelicans. JRUE HOLIDAY
C+. Luke Babbit put in a quality 19 minutes. His defense wasn’t very great, but nobody was expecting any different. He hit two shots, including a three pointer, and did what was expected of him.. SF. New Orleans Pelicans. LUKE BABBIT
D-. A horrible game for Tyreke Evans tonight. 4-15 from the field, seven turnovers, and only three free throw attempts. The Warriors defense refused to let Evans penetrate, and he suffered because of it.. SF/SG. New Orleans Pelicans. TYREKE EVANS
ANTHONY DAVIS. A+. There’s nothing else Anthony Davis could have done. 30 points when shooting 14-19 from the field, 15 rebounds, three blocks, and two steals. The only way he could have helped the Pelicans anymore is if he had sprouted wings and just flew over everybody. Flying is not traveling and I don’t care what your rule book says!. PF/C. New Orleans Pelicans
Sometimes it’s just not your night and for Omer Asik, it wasn’t his night. Bless his heart he tried to change things on defense, and even helped out a bit on offense. But no matter what Asik did, it was never enough, as the Warriors constantly found ways to get around his efforts. At least Asik tried, pulling down 15 rebounds, and scoring nine points.. C. New Orleans Pelicans. OMER ASIK. B+
F. Speaking of players that it just wasn’t their night. Anderson was dreadful, 0-for-5 from 3-point range, and grabbing no rebounds. The Warriors turned Anderson into a complete non factor tonight.. PF/SF. New Orleans Pelicans. RYAN ANDERSON
New Orleans Pelicans. AUSTIN RIVERS. D-. Austin Rivers struggled like the rest of the perimeter players tonight. A seven point, three assist performance is not ideal to winning basketball games, especially when it took eight shots to get those seven points. The Pelicans are in desperate need of an actual backup point guard.. PG/SG
C+. I thought the Dante Cunningham signing was going to limit Salmons, but that might not be until Cunningham knows the team a little better as Salmons played 21 minutes tonight. He scored five points, and hit a three pointer, but nothing he did really seemed to help anything. However, he wasn’t hurting the team any more than anybody else did tonight, so can’t criticize him for that.. SF. New Orleans Pelicans. JOHN SALMONS
D-. This was Cunningham’s first NBA game in a very long time, and it showed. He went 1-for-6 from the field and only grabbed three rebounds. There were no expectations for him to play well, so while he struggled, it wasn’t disappointing.. SF/PF. New Orleans Pelicans. DANTE CUNNINGHAM
Positive, Jeff Withey came in to the game before Ajinca! Negative, it was only in garbage time. While big men may take longer to develop they can’t exactly do that with only two minutes of garbage time.. C. New Orleans Pelicans. JEFF WITHEY. INC
Two minutes of playing time in garbage time for Jimmer Fredette. The Pelicans are now the third team that Jimmer can’t crack playing time with, and for a team as desperate for shooting as this one, that’s concerning.. PG/SG. New Orleans Pelicans. JIMMER FREDETTE. INC