The Golden State Warriors will attempt to take a commanding 2-0 series lead when they host the New Orleans Pelicans in game two of the Western Conference semifinals Tuesday night from the Oracle Arena. The Warriors won the regular season series 3-1, and they cruised to a 123-101 home win in game one on Saturday night.
Pelicans Flat in Game One Blowout Loss
The New Orleans Pelicans had no answer for the Warriors potent offense in their rough 123-101 game one road loss on Saturday night. The Pelicans only converted on 43.8% of their field goals, and they were also out-rebounded by a wide 57-42 margin. Pelicans’ star Anthony Davis wasn’t quite at his best for his standards in the defeat, however he was still productive, netting 21 points along with 10 boards. The 25-year old power forward was spectacular in the Pelicans’ first round sweep of the Trail Blazers, averaging 33 points in that series. Davis was outstanding in three regular season games against the Warriors, scoring an average of 33 points on 59.7% shooting. Jrue Holiday struggled in game one, going 4 for 14 from the field for only 11 points. The 27-year old point guard shot above 50% in all four games against the Trail Blazers in round one, and he averaged 27.8 points in that series.
The Pelicans were overmatched on both offense and defense in game one as many players could not get into an offensive rhythm. They will need a complete team effort to have a chance in game two. Jrue Holiday will have to be at his best, and Nikola Mirotic will need to improve on his 3 for 9 shooting effort from game one. The Pelicans averaged 111.7 points in the regular season, good for third in the NBA. They allowed an average of 110.4 points, placing them down at 29th in the NBA.
Warriors Pummel Pelicans in Game One Triumph
The Golden State Warriors dominated in all aspects in their convincing game one win on Saturday night. The Warriors shot a solid 48.4% from the field, including an 11 for 27 performance from three-point range. Klay Thompson had a productive night in the victory, sinking 27 points on a 10 for 22 shooting performance which included four three-pointers. The 28-year old shooting guard is shooting a dazzling 50% from beyond the arc in six playoff games, and he is averaging 23.3 points in these playoffs. Kevin Durant was outstanding in game one, collecting 26 points on 10 for 21 shooting to go with 13 rebounds. The 29-year old small forward was outstanding in round one against the Spurs, averaging 28.2 points in the six game series. Durant also enjoyed success against the Pelicans in the regular season, posting 27.3 points on a 50% field goal percentage in four games.
The Warriors had their offense firing on all cylinders in game one, and their 22 point margin of victory was their highest in these playoffs. Their rebounding has been sharp as they have out-rebounded their opponents in five of their six playoff games, and overall this team is looking unstoppable. The Warriors will be even tougher to beat in game two as Steph Curry is expected to make his return for his first game of the playoffs. The Warriors led the NBA with an average of 113.5 points in the regular season. They conceded an average of 107.5 points in regular season action, placing them 18th in the NBA.
Trends:
The New Orleans Pelicans are:
- 1-5 ATS in their last 6 conference semifinal games.
- 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games following a loss of more than 10 points.
The Golden State Warriors are:
- 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games when their opponent allows more than 100 points in their previous game.
- 9-4 ATS in their last 13 conference semifinal games.
Golden State completely dominated game one and they will have Steph Curry back for game two. The Warriors had no problem scoring points in the regular season against the Pelicans, averaging 120.7 points in four games, and they also shot over 50% in three of the regular season meetings. Golden State piled on the points on Saturday night as well, and I do not see that changing in this one. Furthermore, Anthony Davis can’t do it all himself, and he did not receive a whole lot of support in game one. The Warriors are also the better defensive team in this matchup, and the Pelicans actually ranked second last in the NBA in points allowed in the regular season. Lastly, four of the Warriors five playoff wins have been by at least 13 points, but is tonight’s number too high and will the Warriors be over confident and let the Pelicans back in to the series.
OTL Sources have the Winning Information & have had the Winning Information All Postseason. Now 25-10 overall in the NBA Playoffs including two series bets that have cashed on Pelicans +190 and Jazz +115.