Though the Pelicans were bested by 22 points in Oakland this past Saturday, it does not mean Golden State’s victory came with absolute ease. In fact, New Orleans proved to be quite a handful for one of one the Warriors most important players.
After a surprising series sweep over the third seeded Portland Trailblazers the New Orleans Pelicans advanced to the Western Conference Semifinals for the first time in over 10 years. Here they’ve been matched up with yet another troubling opponent; the Golden State Warriors.
While NOLA seemed to be filled to the brim with confidence heading into Saturday nights game, it was the Warriors who came away from the contest giddy as they managed to route the Pelicans 123-101. Though losing by 22 points may seem like a bad outcome for any ball club, in the case for New Orleans, their outing wasn’t nearly as bad as the final score indicates. In fact, they most definitely made their presence felt by the defending champions.
“Man, it was tiring” said Klay Thompson (27 points) in regards to playing New Orleans. “The Spurs, they are a little older, so they play a little more methodical. They try to beat us up in the half court and low block. This team is kind of like playing ourselves. It’s like, you make a bucket, you can’t relax. You have to sprint back, find a shooter and they are pushing the tempo. It’s a whole different ballgame.”
The biggest difference between THIS Pelicans team and the 2015 team
Upon further investigation, it appears Thompson is indeed onto something with this claim. On the season, New Orleans led the league in pace with an average of 102.7 possessions per game. The Warriors were ranked fifth, averaging 101.8. Saturday nights game was played at approximately 105.96 possessions. At this rate of play, even the fittest of players will feel it’s effects. With this, it is interesting to think how Stephen Curry will fare if this continues.
As of right now, it appears Stephen Curry will make his 2018 postseason debut tonight. With this, it’ll be his first time playing in five weeks. While it is the two-time League MVP we’re talking about, it is not completely outlandish to believe he may have to shake off some rust upon his return. Performing like his typical self may take some time. Add in the insane pace of play the Pelicans are boasting and you have a hard task in front of you if you’re Curry.
On Monday, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr told reporters that Curry will not be on any sort of minutes restriction upon his return to action. Kerr went on to tell reporters that his playing time will be determined by “his rhythm and whether he gets tired quickly or not.” If this is the case, based off of his back-court partner’s comments we could see Curry on the bench quite often which, in turn, could be seen as a positive for New Orleans. However, only time will tell how Curry will perform upon his return to action, and tonight is that time!
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Game-two will be televised on TNT. Tip-off starts at 10:30 PM ET. As always, Go Pels!