OAKLAND – Overhead minutes after the final buzzer of Game 1 was a national media member pontificating that even if New Orleans were to play significantly better in Game 2, it still wouldn’t be a close game, because Golden State is just vastly superior. Furthermore, two-time MVP Stephen Curry was expected to return to the lineup. Locally, between games Mercury News columnist Dieter Kurtenbach wrote that “the Warriors don’t need Curry to beat the Pelicans in an efficient manner.”
That smug dismissiveness of the Pelicans and why-even-play-this-game outlook only increased during the 72-year hour timeframe leading up to tip-off of Game 2 – but it gradually evaporated when the teams played a very even game, despite the hosts receiving a big boost from Curry’s comeback (28 points in 27 minutes). The Warriors led just 58-55 at halftime and 88-86 through three quarters, as the Pelicans kept keeping the score tight. It was a one-point game with seven-plus minutes remaining, possibly making Kurtenbach squirm a bit in his seat, before Golden State supporters gained some relief with an 11-0 run. The Warriors eventually posted a 121-116 victory, but in the process gave the Pelicans more confidence that they can compete toe-to-toe with the defending NBA champions. New Orleans will now head home for Games 3 and 4 in the Smoothie King Center this weekend.
Less than a month ago, New Orleans won in Oracle Arena by a 126-120 margin, but many dismissed that outcome as irrelevant because Curry did not play. The Pelicans demonstrated Tuesday that they’re not about to roll over and accept defeat against a much more accomplished opponent, something that should be no surprise to anyone who’s followed them throughout 2017-18. Despite losing four-time All-Star DeMarcus Cousins to a season-ending injury in January, New Orleans has put together 10- and nine-game winning streaks since mid-February.
“We made a lot of improvements (from Game 1),” said point guard Rajon Rondo, whose team practiced both Sunday and Monday at Oracle. “We put the work in the last couple days as far as on our defensive schemes. We were able to execute those for the most part of the game.”
“We played well the whole game but I think we got our rhythm back,” shooting guard Jrue Holiday said, alluding to the team’s nine-game win streak entering this Round 2 series. “We got our groove back. Maybe just a couple things here and there that we need to change, but definitely a positive turnout from this game.”
Although the competitive nature of Game 2 may have come as a surprise to some, Golden State’s Steve Kerr was not among those shocked to see New Orleans create a few anxious moments in the fourth quarter. Prior to and following Tuesday’s five-point final margin, Kerr stressed that he was expecting a response from a lower-seeded Pelicans team that had described segments of its 22-point loss in Game 1 as “embarrassing” and uncharacteristic.
“We knew New Orleans was going to come at us,” said Kerr, extremely experienced as both coach and former player in the NBA postseason. “Game 2, this is very predictable after a blowout in Game 1. You know the other team is coming at you. I’ve seen it a million times.”
The Pelicans’ chances of pulling off a win were partly damaged by a pair of negative shooting categories: Inaccuracy from three-point range and inability to get to the foul line. New Orleans shot just 4/20 on treys in the first half despite numerous open looks, preventing the visitors from grabbing a lead. For the game, the Pelicans went just 7/9 on free throws, part of a series trend that has the Warriors leading in trips to the charity stripe by a staggering 59-20 margin. Neither Anthony Davis nor Holiday attempted a free throw, the first time in their five seasons as teammates that both were shut out in that department.
“Both of those guys shot the ball, a combined 48 times,” said Rondo of the duo each firing 24 shots from the floor. “I think we were attacking (the basket but didn’t draw fouls), but that’s not an excuse. We got the shots we wanted. Our guys were aggressive, and things will turn, hopefully for the better, in Game 3.”
The Pelicans are now facing a virtual must-win situation in Game 3 on Friday (7 p.m. Central), because no team in NBA history has ever rallied from an 0-3 deficit to capture a playoff series. From Golden State’s perspective, it’s a chance to seize control of a series that looked far more competitive in Game 2 than it did three days earlier.
“The first quarter in Game 3 is important for us to really set the tone,” Curry said. “Understand our defense needs to travel and be our calling card as we go to New Orleans, because there are many runs that they can put up, and when their crowd gets into it, it’s a different environment.”
New Orleans was inconsistent at home during the regular season, finishing at exactly 24-17 both home and away, but the Pelicans have won eight of their last 10 games in the Smoothie King Center. In both home games vs. Golden State early in ’17-18, New Orleans led by 15-plus points before the visitors rallied to prevail. NOLA was up 69-49 at halftime of the Dec. 4 meeting.
“We’ll go home. Our crowd will be into it,” Davis said, looking forward to Game 3.
“We know we can play with those guys,” said guard Ian Clark of the Warriors, coincidentally a member of last season’s NBA champions. “Going home having our home crowd, us feeling comfortable, I think we can win those games.”