In a dominant display on the road, the Golden State Warriors, led by the mesmerizing Stephen Curry, overpowered the New Orleans Pelicans130-102 on Monday night. Curry, who hadn’t played in New Orleans for over two years due to injuries and scheduling, made a triumphant return by pouring in 42 points in just 30 minutes of play. This significant contribution ensured that the Warriors maintained their unbeaten record on the road.
The game had its fair share of ups and downs. Zion Williamson‘s aggressive play kept the Pelicans in contention during the first half. However, his run-ins with foul trouble during the crucial third quarter stifled New Orleans’ momentum. Williamson wrapped up the night with 19 points. Another noteworthy performance came from CJ McCollum, who tallied 19 points for the Pelicans, while rookie Jordan Hawkins, a promising first-round draft pick from Connecticut, added 12.
Despite these efforts, the story of the night was undeniably Curry’s brilliance. From the moment he stepped onto the court, receiving a thunderous ovation, Curry set the tone with a blistering 11 points in the opening 4:02, highlighted by two deep 3s. On the other end, significant roster changes were evident. Both teams benched key players due to right knee soreness: Golden State’s Klay Thompson and New Orleans’ Brandon Ingram.
Meanwhile, Chris Paul, a familiar face in New Orleans from his early NBA days, contributed 13 points off the bench, catalyzing a pivotal 13-1 run to close the third quarter. This performance was notable, considering Paul had only recently embraced a reserve role, despite the absence of Thompson. Up next for the Pelicans is a challenging back-to-back set, starting with a visit to Oklahoma City and followed by a home clash against Detroit.
