For a fourth straight year, the Golden State Warriors are headed to the Western Conference Finals. Last year, they went 8-0 en route to reaching that stage and this year, they aren't far off only dropping one game in each round (8-2).
Often times your ability to eliminate teams at the first opportunity available displays your hunger and execution level. In Game 5 against the New Orleans Pelicans, it was the visitors that had their backs against the wall, being down 1-3, but the Warriors needed to play as the hungrier team to win and close out this series.
And they did just that. Starting the death line-up once again, it wasn't a blowout from the beginning like in Game 4 but the defending champs had control all through the game.
Here are the 5 biggest takeaways from the game:
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#5 Scorching start to the third quarter for the Warriors
Over the last couple of seasons, the Warriors have gotten into the habit of winning games coming out of the locker room in the third quarter. In the 2017-18 regular season, their net rating in the third quarter is a +18.5, easily the best with the second-ranked team being the Denver Nuggets with a +7.8.
On Tuesday night, they outscored the Pelicans 36-19 in the third period. The Pelicans trimmed the difference to just 17 with a late quarter push but over the first 7 minutes of the quarter, Golden State outscored them 27-6.
For the first 5:35 of these seven minutes, the Warriors' death line-up was on the court. Stephen Curry (11) and Kevin Durant (8) combined for 19 of the 27 points. Klay Thompson and Draymond Green combined for other 8 points.
What looked like a competitive 3-point game at halftime, turned into a blowout really early into the third quarter.
#4 Pelicans threaten with a late run but couldn't finish
So as the fourth quarter tipped off, the Pelicans were staring at a 20-point deficit. Normally, to begin the final period, both teams trade buckets or empty possessions before it's time for the coaches to clear the benches. Well, New Orleans were in no mood to just lay down.
Coach Alvin Gentry kept Anthony Davis out on the floor for much of the fourth quarter and it eventually bore fruit. They didn't win but they surely got the Warriors and the crowd at Oracle Arena nervous. Over a 6-minute span, from 8:18 left in the fourth quarter (Warriors led 105-82) to when there was just 2:04 left (Warriors led 107-100), the Pelicans went on an 18-2 run, which cut the lead down to 7.
Anybody would panic in such a scenario and the Warriors quickly put all their starters in, minus Iggy, and saw the rest of the game through.
#3 Andre Iguodala's value
So during the regular season, Andre Iguodala doesn't look like he deserves a lot of his $14.8 million for this season. In actuality, the Warriors know it's the postseason that they are paying him for. His minutes are carefully monitored during the regular season, so as to maximize his playing time and productivity in the Playoffs.
In a game that the Warriors ended up winning by just 9 points, the 2015 Finals MVP was a +25 in his 25 minutes on the court. Steve Kerr, mentioned in his postgame press conference, that when he subbed out Iguodala at the 6:25 mark in the third, he didn't want to bring him back as the Warriors led by 23 then with all of their four All-Stars still on the court. Credit to Kerr that even as the game closed up late, he resisted the temptation of putting Iggy back in.
Iguodala didn't follow his regular rotation of checking back-in during the fourth quarter and that's when the Pelicans made their game-threatening run.
Nine out of 10 times, you will not see Iguodala put up any flashy numbers but in his limited minutes, his impact is invaluable. He can make the odd three, he pushes the pace (which the Warriors always want) but hardly ever turns it over. His assist/turnover ratio is among the best in the league.
#2 AD and Jrue Holiday came up huge but it wasn't enough
The Pelicans' superstar duo of Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday tried to do all they could but it just wasn't enough against the champs. Both of them played 46 minutes with Davis putting 34 points, 19 rebounds and 4 blocks (50% shooting) while Holiday registered a triple-double with 27 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds (52.4% shooting).
The duo was putting up these kinds of numbers in fewer minutes and dominating the series against the Portland Trail Blazers but the same can't be said in this series. Nikola Mirotic was off for most of this series, requiring the duo to do more to make up for the deficit.
And to make matters worse, they had to play the second half of this game without Rajon Rondo, who the team was keeping out on a precautionary basis over a groin injury.
#1 Warriors' Defense
"Flip the switch" was always discussed with respect to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the East, given their lackluster defense during the regular season over the past couple of years, but this season, it was brought up quite a bit in California towards the end of the regular season. Over the last 17 games, the Warriors went 7-10, not the momentum a defending champ wants to carry into the Playoffs.
Credit to the Warriors, though, they did flip the switch.
Everybody overlooked it in the series with the San Antonio Spurs, as the Texas team was missing Kawhi Leonard and thus offensively handicapped. But the performance the Dubs have put up against the New Orleans Pelicans, a team tied for third in points averaged per game in the regular season, is commendable, to say the least.
Thrice in these five games, the Warriors restricted the Pelicans to 104 points or under. Game 2 was a shootout that Golden State won and in Game 3, they were blowout off the floor in New Orleans by the home team.
In 10 games so far, the Warriors have a defensive rating of 99.3 - best in the Playoffs.