With Kevin Durant resting a sore ankle, Warriors ride a solid third quarter to a 110-95 victory over New Orleans.
Answering call: With Durant out and Curry having an off-shooting night, Iguodala, Pachulia and Casspi help deliver win over New Orleans
The Warriors have learned through countless games that they have enough depth to absorb a one-game absence to one of their star players. The Warriors also learned in their 110-95 victory they can also manage just fine when their other star players have off nights.
Warriors forward Kevin Durant missed his third game in the past four contests because of a sprained left ankle. Warriors guard Stephen Curry had 27 points while shooting 9-of-25 from the field and 3-of13 from 3-point range. And Warriors forward Draymond Green had only six points, while playing with foul trouble (five).
Such developments would devastate most NBA teams. The Warriors (15-5) are not most NBA teams, though.
“Things happen with fouls and injuries. The beauty of this team is that we’re so deep,” Warriors center Zaza Pachulia said. “Everybody can play and come on the court and contribute.
No other NBA teams have another clutch shooter in Klay Thompson, who had a team-leading 24 points on 9-of-19 shooting and 4 of 8 from 3-point range. They do not have a dependable role player in Andre Iguodala, who offered 14 points and plenty of other things not reflected in a box score. They do not have a versatile player such as Green, who can overcome shooting and foul trouble with eight assists and seven rebounds. They do not have a player like Curry, who can lead the team in scoring despite his poor shooting numbers.
“It takes a special kind of confidence to do what Steph did tonight,” Kerr said before reflecting on his own NBA career. “I would’ve quit after four shots. That’s not my night. But guys like Steph, he’s a hell of a player and (can) find a way to turn a bad night
into a good night.”
Unlike on Friday night when the Warriors posted a season-high 143 points against Chicago, the Warriors opened Saturday’s game without the prolific play that makes them the envy of the NBA. The Warriors trailed 31-17 after the first quarter after shooting 7 of 27 from the field (25.9) and 1 of 11 from 3-point range. Curry missed his first eight shots, including five 3-pointers.
“Nothing before the shot I’m about to take matters,” Curry said. “You have to block it out as best as you can and (have) that sense of amnesia almost and rely on the repetitions and work you put into it.”
That all changed in the second quarter, as the Warriors tied the Pelicans, 5553, at halftime. Thompson posted 14 points while making all four of his 3-point attempts. New Orleans shot 6-of-21 from the field and 2 of 10 from 3-point range. The Warriors also held New Orleans (11-9) to 41 percent shooting from the field and forced 17 turnovers.
• The Warriors missed Durant’s presence for obvious reasons, though he is expected to return for Monday’s game against Sacramento. But the Warriors fielded a comfortable replacement in Omri Casspi, who had nine points on 4-of-8 shooting in 25 minutes in what marked his third start in four games this week during Durant’s absence.
“Omri impacts every player on the floor with his cutting and his intelligence,” Kerr said. “He makes the game easier on everybody. I think he really helps Steph and Klay because he’s always in the right spot.”
Casspi, who signed last summer on a one-year deal at the veteran’s minimum, chalked up his seamless transition as a starter into two areas: Kerr’s offense and his own perspective entering his eighth NBA season.
“It’s really hard if you play in a system that doesn’t complement your game,” Casspi said. “When you play in a system that has so much more moving, cutting and playing without the ball, it makes me my game a lot more comfortable.”
Casspi added he’s molded himself as a guy that complements others.
“You won’t see me take a lot of bad shots,” Casspi said.
• Before Saturday’s contest Curry presented current Pelicans guard Ian Clark a championship ring for his contributions during the team’s 2016-17 title run.
Last season, Clark averaged 6.8 points per game off the bench, while shooting 48 percent from the field. Kerr called Clark “a good teammate and a wonderful part of our chemistry.”
“It’s crazy,” Clark said of his return. “To get a chance to see a lot of familiar faces. But all and all I’m happy to be back here in the Bay for this.”
Staff writer Logan Murdock contributed to this report.