New Orleans Pelicans: Can they challenge the Warriors in Games 3 and 4?
As the series shifts to The Big Easy, can the New Orleans Pelicans make their second-round playoff series with the Golden State Warriors interesting?
The New Orleans Pelicans finds themselves in a 0-2 hole agains the defending champion Golden State Warriors after last night’s 16-121 defeat. The Pelicans kept the game close throughout, despite Steph Curry getting his first playoff action of the year last night, coming off the bench to pour in 28 points in an efficient 27 minutes.
This was a much different look than the bludgeoning they suffered in Game 1 that should give the team and its fans cause for hope, however miniscule it might seem.
The Pelicans found themselves exchanging baskets in a closely contested game through four quarters with a real shot at knotting up the series, before Golden State’s stars made the right plays in the final minutes to put them away.
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For all of their valiant efforts, it was the Pelicans’ inexperience that ultimately did them in along with a bit of home court advantage, as can be seen in the series’ free throw disparity.
New Orleans scored the same number of 3-pointers (13) as Golden State, but on fewer attempts (37 vs. 40). They also scored more field goals (48 vs. 43) resulting in 10 more points than their opponent from the field. In other words, they were the better team from the floor offensively last night. The loss can ultimately boiled down to the charity stripe advantage the Warriors held. They attempted 27 to the Pelicans’ 9 free throws.
This is where experience becomes the difference in winning close games and the Warriors have plenty of it. They have been to the Finals the last three seasons, trying to make it their fourth this year, while the Pelicans have a total of two playoff series during that span, a sweep three seasons ago to the Warriors and a sweep over the Trail Blazers this year.
How can New Orleans overcome their two game deficit and turn this series into a fight? If Game 3 is any indication, they are going to have to do two things. For starters, their bench will have to produce more to have a puncher’s chance as the series heads back to Louisiana. Anthony Davis, Jrue Holiday, and Rajon Rondo all scored over 20 points each while their other two starters, Nikola Mirotic and E’Twaun Moore also had solid outings in double digits.
The starting lineup scored 103 of the team’s 116 points. This type of production from the starters simply is not sustainable. Their bench is going to have to provide some type of spark to alleviate some of the pressure from the stars.
Secondly, New Orleans is going to have to find a way to minimize the fouls they commit while getting to the line to close the gap in free throws. This is much easier said than done, as they scored 66 points in the paint to Golden State’s 38. Typically, with that much work inside, teams are going to draw contact, but this was not the case last night.
The Pelicans are going to have go back to basics when defending shooters like Kevin Durant and Steph Curry who are masters at drawing contact in the lane and while pulling up for contested jumpers. Some of this will take care of itself with home court being on their side for the next two games of the series.
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It goes without saying, New Orleans will have to play a near perfect game to get themselves back in this series. Expect All Star Anthony Davis to come out swinging and making his presence felt back home. Game 3 of the series is on Friday, May 4.