LAS VEGAS – Much like his team Saturday, Seth Curry needed some time to warm up. Once he and the Pelicans got going, though, New Orleans was on its way to another victory.
The Las Vegas league’s leading scorer, Curry was uncharacteristically frigid in the first half, before igniting in the third quarter. For the fifth straight game, the guard topped the 20-point mark and New Orleans prevailed. After scoring just three points prior to intermission, he poured in 21 after the break, for a 24-point outing. The Pelicans advanced to Sunday’s semifinal round, where they will face Phoenix at 7 p.m. Central (NBA TV).
“It was a good example of his maturity,” Pelicans summer head coach Robert Pack said of Curry persevering through an early rough patch. “To be able to stick with it. Shooters and scorers can get down a little bit, but he came out in the second half and took the same shots. Fortunately, they went down in the second half.”
New Orleans (5-0) had made a habit of jumping on opponents shortly after tip-off, but this time Golden State was the sharper team, building a 24-16 lead through the first quarter. The Warriors built a double-digit edge in the second period, before the Pelicans started playing the way they had in their previous summer contests.
“We came out a little lethargic, a little fast-paced, rushing,” Pack said. “It was a big game – guys were excited about playing today. But we stuck with it. Guys were pulling for each other. I think that’s what got us out of this hole.”
As the only club out of 23 NBA teams in Las Vegas that does not have a roster member, the Pelicans have played like a group with something to prove. On numerous occasions Saturday, multiple players from both teams dove on the floor for loose balls, not necessarily a staple of summer league.
“That game was a little more fast-paced, a little bit more energy,” Curry described. “If you watched the game, you could tell the pace was a little bit faster and everything was a little bit more intense... Guys wanted to win. I think that’s what people want to see out here.”
IT WAS OVER WHEN…
Curry sank two free throws with 19 seconds left, pushing New Orleans over the century mark at 100-91.
TURNING POINT
Things began to look a bit bleak when Golden State raced to a 14-point lead in the first half, but New Orleans wasted little time chipping away and eventually pulled in front by the early stages of the third quarter. The Pelicans used a 29-22 second quarter to regain their footing after a sloppy start.
PELICANS PLAYER OF THE GAME
While Curry tried to locate his shooting touch, Pelicans wing Victor Rudd continued to provide his team what exactly what it needed, this time dropping in 13 first-half points, en route to his 22-point game. The South Florida product has shown the versatility New Orleans was seeking from across its roster, showing an accurate shot (9-for-15), finishing fast breaks (four dunks) and making plays in more subtle areas of the game (five rebounds, one steal, one block). Meanwhile, reserve Fuquan Edwin dropped in 14 first-half points, joining Rudd in keeping the Pelicans close. Fellow sub Lazeric Jones chipped in with 10 points, including critical back-to-back three-pointers in the fourth quarter.
#TAKEFLIGHT QUESTION OF THE GAME
What have you enjoyed most about the Pelicans’ summer league team this week?
From @ObeyTheBoss: The Fast Pace Ball. I Remember After A Tipball We Scored Literally 3 Seconds Later
From @thebirdwrites: Pace, pace, pace!
From @saintspelican23: SETH!!!!!!
From @mrcleankickz: two words: Seth Curry