NEW ORLEANS – Tuesday night’s promotion at the Smoothie King Center was “Y2K,” where Usher’s music blared over the speakers and the empty crowd was given 2000s-style bird hats to wear.
On the court, the Warriors and Pelicans decided to honor that low-scoring hoops era by throwing more bricks in the Warriors’ 113-109 loss in New Orleans.
Golden State turned the ball over 21 times and shot just 40% and 23% from behind the arc, while the Pelicans had a 43% accuracy rate from the field.
“We had 21 turnovers and we didn’t do very well,” Kerr said. “The spacing wasn’t good, we probably had three layups in the first half and we didn’t run, we didn’t get to the rim, we didn’t get to the corners. We just looked a little disjointed.”
The Warriors got as close as 104-103 with 1:47 left in the game, but Saddiq Bey pushed the lead to four with a layup and a layup. De’Anthony Melton’s free throw put the Pelicans back three points, but the Pelicans held on for the win after a few empty possessions by the Warriors.
Melton scored a season-high 28 points and threw down a shocking poster dunk in the second half, while Moses Moody continued to shoot well and scored 24. Branin Podziemski came off the bench to score 16 and grab 16 rebounds. Zion Williamson led the Pelicans with 26 points.
Melton’s big dunk didn’t surprise his teammates.
“I don’t know if you’ll remember, but my first year in Memphis, that’s what he did … he was a dunker and he threw it down,” Moody recalled.
The Warriors were without Steph Curry (runner’s knee) and Kristaps Porzingis (sickness) as no one traveled with the team.
That lack of fire was evident in the first half, as the visitors shot just 31.3% from the field and made 23% of their three-pointers in the first 24 minutes. Melton’s off-the-bounce play and Moody’s timely shooting were the only things keeping the Warriors’ offense going.
It was only because of a great effort — and inexperience from the Pelicans’ backcourt — that the Warriors trailed just 46-39 at halftime.
The Warriors even took a 58-57 lead with six minutes left in the third quarter, but Derik Queen’s interception made the Pelicans regain the opportunity with three minutes left. The Pelicans led 77-72 and Dejounte Murray was playing in his first game of the season.
The Warriors ran out of steam down low, and the talented but raw Pelicans made enough shots to extend the advantage despite Melton’s shooting.
“I feel strong, but I’m still taking it day by day,” Melton said. “We will see tomorrow, how my body will stand up.”
The Warriors (30-28) will play in Memphis on Wednesday, then have two days off before facing LeBron James and the Lakers on Saturday.
Draymond Green is coming back
After missing Sunday’s game due to lower back pain, Draymond Green returned to the starting lineup against New Orleans. The results were uneven in the first half.
On the other side of the floor, Green was his old self when compared to Williamson. He denied the Pelicans star an advantage while flying around as a weak relief defender.
But for the case…. It was a night to forget for Green. Yes, he scored 11 points, but the Pelicans didn’t care. Green’s defender always retreated 5 to 10 feet from Green even when he had the ball, inviting harmless drives into the paint.
That changed in the second half, when Green carried the ball much less but remained active as a screen and dunker option.
“Usually he and Steph play a two-man game that’s up and deadly, but without Steph, we have to take him down,” Kerr said. “I thought he really ran down the floor in transition and got to the corners (in the second half).”
Green finished the night plus-8 while shooting 5-of-11 to go along with seven rebounds, six assists and two blocked shots.
Former heroes on the Pelicans
A few familiar faces dotted the Pelicans’ roster while the Warriors were on edge. Center Kevon Looney and guard Jordan Poole lined up against the team they helped win the championship.
Looney didn’t play a single minute, being outplayed by Queen and DeAndre Jordan in the process. Poole got plenty of playing time, coming off the bench to score 12 points while grabbing six rebounds.
First Kuminga’s Hawks
After almost three weeks of waiting and eagerly awaited, former Warrior Jonathan Kuminga made his first appearance for the Hawks on Tuesday night.
The Warriors sent Kuminga and Buddy Hield to Atlanta to replace Porzingis. In his first game back from a bone injury that kept him out since January, Kuminga sent the Hawks crowd into a frenzy.
He scored 27 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field, coming off the bench and sparking the offense in Atlanta’s 119-98 victory. Hield did not play.
