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The Golden State Warriors will take on the New Orleans Pelicans in a two-game mini-series at the Smoothie King Center on Monday. The two teams will face off three times in the final eight games of the 2020-21 NBA season.
Monday's game will be the first time that sophomore sensation Zion Williamson will face superstar Stephen Curry. The matchup is a joint broadcast by Marvel Entertainment and ESPN, who are collaborating for an Avengers-based telecast. Three players from each team - Steph Curry, Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green from the Golden State Warriors and Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball from the New Orleans Pelicans - will be the main feature.
Match Details
Fixture: Golden State Warriors vs New Orleans Pelicans | NBA Season 2020-21
Date & Time: Monday, May 3rd, 2021; 7:30 PM ET (Tuesday, May 4th; 5:00 AM IST).
Venue: Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, LA.
New Orleans Pelicans Preview
The New Orleans Pelicans are coming off a much-needed victory against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Coach Stan Van Gundy and his men still have their playoff hopes alive as they sit in the 11th spot in the Western Conference. They are now just 3 games behind the play-in spot (10th seed).
Zion Williamson took over the game in overtime (7 of his 37 points came in the overtime period) and secured a victory for the Pelicans. He continues to impress with his remarkable efficiency this season.
Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball have also been quite impressive for the New Orleans Pelicans. Ball's long-range lobs to Zion Williamson make for incredibly entertaining highlights. Meanwhile, Ingram is averaging the second-highest points and assists on the team, with 24.0 points and 4.9 assists per game, while also grabbing 5.0 boards a night.
Key Player - Zion Williamson
Zion Williamson is one of the most efficient players in the NBA right now. He is leading the league in FG% for any player averaging over 20 points per game.
As per Statmuse, Williamson could miss his next 200 shots in a row and still average over 50% from the field. He is the New Orleans Pelicans' franchise player, and the team's playoff hopes certainly lie with him.
New Orleans Pelicans Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Lonzo Ball | Shooting Guard - Eric Bledsoe | Small Forward - Brandon Ingram | Power Forward - Zion Williamson | Center - Steven Adams
Golden State Warriors Preview
The Golden State Warriors won their last game against the Houston Rockets courtesy of a third-quarter flurry by Stephen Curry. The Warriors are now 9th in the Western Conference and are eyeing the 7th seed to get a one-game cushion in the play-in tournament.
Draymond Green continues to display his defensive prowess and playmaking genius. He is 5th in the league in assists per game with 8.6, and his basketball IQ elevates every player around him. Andrew Wiggins, Kent Bazemore and Mychal Mulder have also been great for this team.
Meanwhile, Kelly Oubre Jr. was recently diagnosed with a wrist fracture. He tried to play through an injury but given the aggravation of the condition, he might not return this season.
Key Player - Stephen Curry
Stephen Curry had the best shooting month in NBA history when he dropped 96 three-pointers in April. He scored 30+ points in 11 straight games, an NBA record for any player over the age of 33.
Curry now leads the league in scoring with 31.3 points per game and 1751 total points. The Golden State Warriors superstar is gunning for the scoring title this season. If he wins, he will be the oldest player to lead the league in scoring since Michael Jordan (35).
Golden State Warriors Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Stephen Curry | Shooting Guard - Kent Bazemore | Small Forward - Andrew Wiggins | Power Forward - Draymond Green | Center - Kevon Looney
Warriors vs Pelicans Match Prediction
The Golden State Warriors will have the edge over the struggling New Orleans Pelicans on Monday.
The Pelicans are not a good defensive team. Stephen Curry will likely take advantage of their lapse defense and rain down threes on them.
The Warriors have been able to contain big men quite well, with centers like Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic unable to operate freely against them. We can expect another defensive clinic as former DPOY Draymond Green will personally defend Zion Williamson.
Where to watch the Warriors vs Pelicans game
The Golden State Warriors vs New Orleans Pelicans game will be locally televised on NBC Sports Bay Area. Given the special nature of the broadcast, it will be nationally televised on ESPN and all its counterparts like ESPN2, etc. The match can also be streamed live with an NBA League Pass.
