Two years ago today, the New Orleans Pelicans smashed the heavily favored Warriors and looked like they might have a chance to pull the series upset.
On one day in May two years ago, it looked like the New Orleans Pelicans might be able to do the impossible and take down the kings of the NBA.
The Warriors were favored to win the title after coming up short the year before and adding Kevin Durant to a team that just won an nba-record 73 games.
It was almost a foregone conclusion that the Warriors would meet the Cavaliers in the Finals and get their revenge, which they did.
Ultimately the New Orleans Pelicans were meant to be a minor roadblock to the Warriors and they were, losing 4-1 in the semi-finals in convincing fashion, but for a few moments on May 4th, 2018, it looked like things could go a different way.
The New Orleans Pelicans came out quickly behind a raucous Smoothie King Center crowd, taking a nine-point 1st quarter lead behind the dribble penetration of Jrue Holiday.
The Pelicans played stifling defense and held the Warriors to just 21 points in the first quarter, quite a feat considering the Warriors had been lighting teams up.
The Warriors came storming back, cutting into the New Orleans Pelicans’ lead with 35 in the second quarter, with everyone in the arena thinking “here we go again.”
The Warriors came at teams in waves, a fact the New Orleans Pelicans learned in the first two games, when they played it tight but ultimately got undone by big Warrior runs.
The New Orleans Pelicans were able to keep the Warriors from having any more of those runs, blowing them out in the second half and winning the game 119-100 behind 33 points and 18 rebounds from Anthony Davis.
Holiday added 21 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists and he and Rajon Rondo at least slowed the Splash Brothers for one game.
We all know how it turned out, the Warriors won the next two games and went on to win back-to-back titles while the New Orleans Pelicans regressed and then completely rebuilt their team.
Though the Pelicans ended up trading Davis, for a moment in May it looked like he might the guy to take New Orleans to the next level.
Even though they lost the series, it was an important step for a team trying to win its first title.
The future looks much different for the New Orleans Pelicans now, but the goal is the same. Who knows, maybe they’ll even get another shot at the Warriors.
Thanks for reading and stay safe out there!