The New Orleans Pelicans hope to have learned from experience when they seek a split in the second game of their NBA-style doubleheader against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night in San Francisco.
Buddy Hield, Brandin Podziemski and Moses Moody — all making their first start of the season for Golden State — combined for 64 points Tuesday night. The trio rallied the Warriors from a 20-point deficit into a 124-106 victory in the opener of the two-day, two-game sequence.
The same-opponent, back-to-back scheduling is rare for most NBA teams, but not the Pelicans, who already experienced it last week in Portland.
On that occasion, the Pelicans watched as the Trail Blazers exacted revenge for a 105-103 defeat on Friday with a 125-103 victory on Sunday.
New Orleans now finds itself in the revenge seeker’s position, something Zion Williamson looks forward to.
“That’s the beauty of the NBA,” he said after the Tuesday loss. “Sometimes you get to see the team again the next day or two days later. Other times, you’ve got to wait. But you always get another shot at it.”
Williamson had 31 points and Brandon Ingram scored 30 for the Pelicans, but they combined for 10 of the visitors’ 24 turnovers. Williamson had seven of the miscues, just one fewer than Golden State’s team total.
As a result, the Warriors were able to overcome a 54.1 percent to 47.4 percent shooting disadvantage by getting up 23 more shots. Golden State had six more field goals than New Orleans in the game.
The Warriors finished with 12 more 3-pointers than the Pelicans, going 21-for-46 (45.7 percent) from long distance.
With Stephen Curry out due to an ankle injury, Hield led the long-distance barrage with seven 3-pointers. Moody shot 5-for-6 from beyond the arc for 15 of his 17 points.
Also without Andrew Wiggins and De’Anthony Melton due to back injuries, the Warriors displayed better depth in the win. Golden State’s eight reserves outscored the Pelicans’ seven backups 54-30.
Lindy Waters III, one of the last ones off the bench in Golden State’s first three games while the team was at full strength, received 31 minutes of action on Wednesday and responded with 21 points, eight rebounds and four assists.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr admitted afterward that he wasn’t surprised by the performance of the former Oklahoma City Thunder reserve.
“I’ve said it since Day 1 of camp: This guy’s a ballplayer,” Kerr said. “The game flows when he’s out there. It’s not just because he’s a good shooter; he’s a good basketball player. It’s the shots that he doesn’t take because of his patience, it’s the cuts that he makes to the basket, it’s getting into the fight defensively.
“From Day 1 of camp, this guy has been one of our best players, frankly. Couldn’t get him out there until (Tuesday). I’m just happy to have this kind of depth for nights like tonight where we’re missing three guys, and it will pay off big time for us over the course of the 82 (games).”
–Field Level Media