'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Final Score: Warriors defeat Pelicans, 131-121
After blowing out the Chicago Bulls on the road, two nights before, the Golden State Warriors hosted Anthony Davis and the New Orleans Pelicans at Oracle Arena. The Warriors were on a five-game winning streak and were looking to extend it to six.
Davis is returning after missing two games with an elbow injury and the Warriors entered the game as favorites, just like they do against every other team in the league. Although the game was close at the half-time, Curry came out much stronger in the third quarter and the Warriors held off the Pelicans, 131-121.
Also Read: 5 Oldest Players in the NBA 2018-19 Season
Let us take a look at a few talking points from this highly anticipated game against the New Orleans Pelicans.
#4 Jonas Jerebko stuffs the stat sheet
It is an understatement if I say Jonas Jerebko is killing it currently for the Warriors. He has been brilliant in the first two weeks of the regular season and is seeing extended minutes of action because he is that good.
In the game against the Jazz, early in the season, we saw him have a game-winning tip-in to break the hearts of Jazz fans. In the blowout game against the Phoenix Suns, he posted 13 points and showed glimpses of what he can do. Today, he delivered once again and stuffed the stat sheet as he made his presence known in every department.
In the first quarter, with 4:45 remaining, Jerebko knocked down a three-pointer to give the Warriors, a 2-point lead. With less than four minutes remaining in the first quarter, Jerebko's pass to Curry was deflected and resulted in a turnover but he was quick enough to get back on the defensive end and swatted a layup attempt by Moore.
In the fourth quarter, he entertained the crowd with a behind-the-back pass to Kevin Durant who threw it down. Jerebko finished the game with 10 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and a block.
#3 Nikola Mirotic's dominance continues
Nikola Mirotic is having the season of his life and has been a walking double-double to start the season. He has been scoring a truckload of points and pulling boards like it's nothing and continued his dominance at the Oracle Arena.
Mirotic was hot from the field and went 10-15 with an eye-catching field-goal percentage of 66.7. He dominated in the paint and posed a serious threat to the Warriors. Even though the rest of the crew failed to perform, it was Mirotic whose performance kept the Pelicans in the game.
He finished the game with 26 points, 12 rebounds and posted yet another double-double. He now has four double-doubles this season already, in just seven games. The Pelicans got off to a 4-0 start but now have lost three games in a row including the loss to Golden State but that doesn't seem to be affecting Mirotic's performances.
#2 Kevin Durant with a strong performance
Kevin Durant started the season well and has been scoring heavily, just like you would expect him to. After playing for just 28 minutes in the game against the Chicago Bulls, Durant played a season-high 40 minutes in this one and scored 24 points on the night.
Durant started the game with his favorite mid-range jumper to get it going. His shots kept finding the hoop and he went for 10-17 from the field. He dominated the Pelicans' defenders for the most part of the game and with 11:50 left in the third quarter, he slammed one home off an assist from Curry.
Also Read: Top 5 players with the most 50-Point Games
The 2014 MVP finished the game with 24 points, 5 rebounds, 8 assists and played his role to perfection to lift the Warriors past Pelicans.
#1 Stephen Curry is a man on mission
Also Read: Derrick Rose's Top 4 Highest-Scoring Games
Maybe the NBA commissioner should just hand him the MVP trophy already. Stephen Curry has been sensational to start the 2018-19 regular season and is averaging over 30 points in the games played so far.
Curry was sensational as always, and netted 7 three-pointers and torched the Pelicans. He finished the night shooting 12-20 from the field, with a field-goal percentage of 60.0 and scored 37 points, to go along with 2 rebounds and 9 assists.
In the first quarter, with 7:37 seconds remaining, Curry nailed a deep three-pointer to give Warriors, a one-point lead. However, Davis' Pelicans would not give up and stayed within the distance at half-time. The two-time MVP brought out the magician in him in the third quarter and scored 16 points. The Warriors won the third quarter, 37-29 and from there, it was just about playing till the end.
SK High Hoops - Write and win amazing prizes. Click here to know more!
