West Conf. Semis - Game 5: New Orleans Pelicans 104-113 Golden State Warriors - 5 Talking Points

#1 Warriors' Defense

Kevon Looney contesting a Davis shot attempt.

"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.