Pelicans power past Warriors as Rockets rout Jazz
LOS ANGELES: The New Orleans Pelicans, energised by a return to their home court, dominated the reigning champions Golden State Warriors in a 119100 NBA playoff win as Houston reasserted themselves against the Utah Jazz.
Anthony Davis scored 33 points with 18 rebounds and four steals and Pelicans point guard Rajon Rondo dished out 21 assists to keep the New Orleans offence clicking.
The Pelicans outscored Golden State 5436 in the paint and drained 14 threepointers as they whittled the deficit to 21 in their bestofseven Western Conference series.
The Pelicans will have a chance to even things up when they host game four today.
“We just did what we were supposed to do,” Davis said. “Of course it was a big game for us. We didn’t want to go down 03. But we got our big one tonight and now we’ll try to get ready for Sunday.”
Warriors coach Steve Kerr wasn’t surprised to see the Pelicans respond after dropping the first two games in Oakland.
New Orleans drained 10 threepointers in the first 24 minutes, leading by as many as 15 en route to a 6256 halftime margin.
Jrue Holiday helped set the tone, scoring 11 of his 21 points in the first quarter.
Warriors star Stephen Curry, back in the starting lineup after coming off the bench in his return from a knee injury in game two, mustered only three points in the opening quarter, when sharpshooter Klay Thompson was held scoreless.
Western conference top seeds Houston, stung by a gametwo defeat on their home floor, responded with a vengeance in Salt Lake City, where they thrashed the Utah Jazz 11392.
Houston took a 21 lead in the Western Conference series which continues today at Utah.
James Harden scored 25 points with 12 assists for Houston. Eric Gordon added another 25 points in a merciless display by a Rockets team that led the league with 65 regularseason victories.
Royce O’Neale led the Jazz with 17 points as Houston’s stifling defence shut down gametwo standouts Donovan Mitchell and Joe Ingles.
Mitchell connected on just four of 16 from the field for 10 points while Ingles, who scored 27 points in game two, finished with six points on twoof10 shooting.