NBA
Warriors Overcome The Obstacle of The Pelicans While Anticipating The Return of The Boogieman
The Warriors had their hands full Wednesday evening with the Pelicans. Many expected a cool down from Golden state after their thrashing of the Nuggets in the Mile High City. Although, many didn’t foresee their pending struggles and the ultra accurate three point shooting from the Pelicans arsenal (19-37, 54%). On Tuesday, they did what many felt was unthinkable by not only scoring 51 points in the first quarter but also dethroning the top team in the west by 31 points, on the road (142-111). Against the Pelicans, they shot themselves out of a 17-point deficit to overcome the obstacle presented to them. The Warriors picked up their 31st victory of the season and their 18th win at Oracle Arena with the final score of 147-140.
Kevin Durant and Draymond Green Establish Common Ground With Double Doubles
The Warriors have been the subject of several story lines this season. The one which stands out the most has been the rift between Kevin Durant and Draymond Green. Shots have been fired from both directions. Draymond apparently called Kevin Durant a “B—h”. Things even escalated to the point where the words “This is why I’m out of here!” were uttered by Kevin. This of course being in reference to his pending free agency this upcoming summer. As we all know there is one way to get everyone on the same page. How? You might ask. By winning. During this week, the Warriors have broken numerous records including combining for 43 three pointers in this game versus the Pelicans. The frenemies of Kevin (30 points, 15 rebounds) and Draymond (17 points, 14 rebounds) both established common ground by earning double-doubles.
Steph Curry has been on an absolute tear as of late. His 9 three pointers gives him the distinct honor of hitting at least 8 three pointers in three straight games. He led the way in this match up with a 41 point display. Draymond earned a plus 41 rating on Tuesday evening against the Nuggets. Over the course of this week his assist to turnover ratio (30 assists – 2 turnovers) might not earn him a max contract come free agency, however it did help his team clip the wings of the Pelicans on Wednesday evening.
Pelicants?
The Pelicans definitely had an opportunity to catch the Warriors slipping on a back-to-back. They shot well from beyond the arc. Particularly, Nikola Mirotic (29 points, 6 three pointers) shot well. Also, the Pelicans had solid contributions from both Jrue Holiday (25 points, 4 three pointers) and Julius Randle (23 points, 3-3 three pointers), who was flawless from three point land. Anthony Davis, to no surprise, had a near triple double (30 points, 18 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 blocks). However, the question which must be asked…why weren’t they able to topple The Warriors on Wednesday evening?
The Pelicans were able to stifle the Warriors offense in the first half and finish the first quarter with the lead. However, that momentum did not follow them in the most decisive quarter of the game, the fourth. They were not able to capitalize by displaying any killer instinct, although the game was virtually neck and neck down the stretch. As the Warriors started to pull away, their lack of experience truly began to show.
The Return of The Boogieman
Lets address the 6’11”, 269 pound elephant in the room. Tonight, the NBA schedule displays Warriors versus Clippers. Warriors fans worldwide seem to know what tonight truly means. The anticipation which has existed for the past several months is about to come to an end. The Boogieman (Demarcus Cousins) will make his return to in-game action. Not only will this be his first game as a Warrior, he will be inserted into their starting lineup as a center.
Will the return of the Boogieman disrupt the Warriors chemistry? Or can his mere presence be enough to put this team over the top and possibly set them up for a third straight trip to the NBA Finals? Tune in to find out!
Written by Todd Smith
Photo Credit Ish1993f via Flickr
