NEW ORLEANS PELICANS (48-32) AT GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS (45-35)
Overview
The NBA schedule-maker probably couldn’t have drawn it up any better Friday evening, as sixth-place New Orleans visits ninth-place Golden State, while a simultaneous matchup 85 miles up the road in Northern California takes place between seventh-place Phoenix (47-33) and eighth-place Sacramento (45-35). The combination of a Pelicans win and a Suns loss would clinch a Western Conference playoff berth for New Orleans, after a one-year absence from the field. Regardless of other outcomes, the Pelicans enter the final weekend of the regular season with control of their own destiny, meaning if they go 2-0 (including Sunday’s finale at home vs. the Lakers), they’ll be the West’s No. 6 seed and travel to face the third seed for Game 1 of a best-of-seven playoff series next weekend.
Pelicans at Kings recap, Charles Smith talks Hall of Fame | Pelicans Podcast
On the latest New Orleans Pelicans Podcast from Friday, April 12, 2024, Jim Eichenhofer and Gus Kattengell are joined by Peabody High School head coach Charles Smith to talk about being selected into the 2024 class of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. They'll also recap the Pelicans' win against the Sacramento Kings with Pelicans Radio calls from Todd Graffagnini and John DeShazier and postgame sound from Willie Green and Zion Williamson. Later they'll talk about what's at stake for New Orleans in the Pels' final two regular season games.
Postgame wrap: Warriors 130, Pelicans 102
Both teams were without a key scorer, with Brandon Ingram (knee) ruled out less than an hour before tip-off. Golden State’s Klay Thompson (knee) was also a late scratch. With his fellow starting forward sidelined, Zion Williamson tied with CJ McCollum for New Orleans scoring honors at 19 points apiece.
Players to Watch
PELICANS
CJ McCollum
Based on accuracy and volume, the 11-year NBA veteran has been the league’s most dangerous three-point shooter in April, second in makes per game (5.3, just shy of Luka Doncic’s 5.4) and connecting on 50 percent of his attempts (32 of 64). McCollum has tallied at least 20 points in 10 of his last 11 games, including an average of 31.6 points over his last five.
Zion Williamson
Averaging 27-6-5 over his last nine games – as well as 1.6 steals and 1.0 block – this is the best stretch of the power forward’s pro career. Like McCollum, he’s been a consistent force for New Orleans’ attack in recent weeks, tallying at least 22 points in eight of those nine games. After a 31-point night at Sacramento, the Pelicans are 8-1 this season when he produces that many points or more.
Jose Alvarado
The second-unit point guard may not be at the top of the list when people think of New Orleans’ knockdown shooters, but he’s been lights-out since his return from injury, going 9/19 from three-point range on a 3-0 Pelicans road trip. Alvarado drained five critical treys at Phoenix on Sunday, then canned four more Thursday in Sacramento.
WARRIORS
Stephen Curry
The 10-time NBA All-Star guard is over 40 percent from three-point distance for the 13th time out of his 14 full seasons. In two meetings vs. New Orleans this season, he has shooting splits of 54/48/82, sinking 10 three-pointers in 21 attempts. Curry had 42 points in only 30 minutes during Golden State’s lone visit to the Blender on Oct. 30.
Klay Thompson
Curry’s starting backcourt partner for over a decade, Thompson did not play Thursday at Portland, in the first game of a back-to-back. However, Thompson is playing his best basketball of this season lately, leading Golden State in April scoring (23.6 ppg). He’s played in 75 of 80 games and has not missed consecutive contests in 2023-24.
Previous Game Starting Lineups
NEW ORLEANS (48-32, 6TH IN WEST)
Thursday win at Sacramento
CJ McCollum, Herb Jones, Trey Murphy, Zion Williamson, Jonas Valanciunas
Notes: The Pelicans and Warriors will submit their updated injury reports prior to the 1 p.m. local deadline for the second game of a back-to-back (3 p.m. Central). … The Pelicans’ magic number to clinch a playoff berth is 2, meaning any combination of New Orleans wins and Phoenix losses adding up to that seals a top-six seed. Phoenix will play at Sacramento and at Minnesota on Friday and Sunday, respectively. … If the season ended right now, New Orleans would face third-seeded Oklahoma City in the West quarterfinal round of the playoffs. … The above starting lineup has gone 7-5 this season. The Pelicans are 41-23 when McCollum plays, but 7-9 when he’s a DNP.
GOLDEN STATE (45-35, 9TH IN WEST)
Thursday win at Portland
Chris Paul, Stephen Curry, Andrew Wiggins, Jonathan Kuminga, Trace Jackson-Davis
Notes: The Warriors are in a three-way deadlock with eighth-place Sacramento and the No. 10 Lakers, all at 45-35 with two games left apiece. The current order of the trio is based on aggregate head-to-head records: Sacramento is 6-2, Golden State is 5-3, the Lakers are 1-7 (Kings swept Lakers 4-0; Warriors won their season series over the Lake Show 3-1; Kings and Warriors split four meetings). Given that logjam and this weekend’s schedule, the Pelicans will play a prominent role in resolving the West play-in tournament matchups. By the way, if Golden State and Sacramento end up in a two-team tie, the edge goes to the Kings based on Pacific Division record.
FanDuel Keys to the Game
CONTROL THE GLASS
Golden State did major damage in its Oct. 30 win at New Orleans by seizing 21 offensive rebounds, the Warriors’ third-best total all season. The Warriors also surpassed their season average (12.2 O-boards) Jan. 10 by collecting 14 against the Pelicans, though New Orleans won the game 141-105.
BENCHES BY THE BAY
New Orleans remains one of the NBA’s premier benches with a plus-minus of 2.2 that ranks third behind only Boston and Minnesota. Golden State’s backups are the league’s third-best in scoring, averaging 42.5 points, trailing Indiana and Utah.
MATCHUP TO WATCH
Curry (4.8) and McCollum (3.5) rank first and third in three-pointers made per game among all NBA players. Both consummate pros are seeking the 10th trip to the playoffs of their careers, with McCollum potentially able to accomplish that Friday or Sunday. Curry can do so if Golden State advances through next week’s play-in tournament.