NBA News Wire
Warriors 112, Pelicans 85
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
OAKLAND, Calif. — The Golden State Warriors held the New Orleans Pelicans to 12 second-quarter points while building a 13-point lead, then gradually pulled away in the second half for an 11th consecutive victory, 112-85 in a nationally televised game Thursday night.
In beating the Pelicans for an eighth straight time, the Warriors (16-2) improved their league-best record while also matching the franchise record for consecutive wins, set initially during the 1971-72 season.
The Warriors, who lead the league in defensive field-goal percentage, limited the Pelicans to 6-for-23 shooting (26.1 percent) in the game-changing second period, which began with New Orleans leading 28-22.
Golden State held the Pelicans scoreless for 5 minutes, 16 seconds early in the period to take a 34-30 lead, then finished the quarter with a 9-2 spurt that produced a 53-40 halftime advantage.
The lead reached 70-48 in the sixth minute of the third quarter, and Golden State’s league-high 16th win was never in doubt after that.
The double-digit margin of victory was the league-best 11th of the season for the Warriors, who improved to 12-0 when holding the opponent under 100 points.
The Pelicans, who made 52 percent of their shots (13-for-25) in the first quarter, connected on just 37.5 percent (24-for-64) the rest of the way. They finished at 41.6 percent (37-for-89).
Shooting guard Klay Thompson paced the Warriors with 23 points in 33 minutes.
Point guard Stephen Curry (19 points, 11 assists), small forward Harrison Barnes (17 points, 10 rebounds) and power forward Draymond Green (14 points, 14 rebounds) recorded double-doubles for the Warriors.
Center Andrew Bogut added 11 rebounds complement eight points in the balanced Golden State attack.
Power forward Anthony Davis hit 14 of his 19 shots en route to a game-high 30 points for the Pelicans (8-9), who were coming off a 112-104 home win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday.
Davis also found time for a 15 rebounds, tying New Orleans center Omer Asik for game-high honors. Guards Jrue Holiday (12 points) and Tyreke Evans (11) also scored in double figures for the Pelicans, who opened a three-game California swing.
NOTES: The Pelicans signed free agent PF Dante Cunningham before the game, and he scored two points in 12 minutes. The 6-foot-8 Cunningham went unsigned in the offseason after he was charged with felony domestic assault in April. Those charges were dropped in August. Cunningham averaged 6.3 points and 4.1 rebounds last season for Minnesota. … Warriors PG Stephen Curry was selected Western Conference Player of the Month for October/November after averaging 23.8 points, 7.8 assists, 5.3 rebounds and 1.9 steals in 16 games. Curry also earned the conference’s previous Player of the Month honors in April. … Warriors coach Steve Kerr said before the game he expects PF David Lee to return to action at some point next week. Lee has played in only one game this season — Nov. 5 against the Los Angeles Clippers, during which he aggravated a hamstring injury after seven minutes.
