Curry returns and Warriors win
Warriors lean on Curry’s scoring, Green’s intensity in win
OAKLAND – The ball sailed into the net seemingly anytime Stephen Curry shot the ball.
The intensity emerged seemingly anytime Draymond Green drove to the basket or defended his opponent.
Combine those powers together, and the Warriors produced a 121-116 Game 2 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday at Oracle Arena that few players can emulate.
Few can mirror Curry’s shooting. He had 28 points while going 8-of-15 from the field and 5-of-10 from 3-point range despite two variables. Curry played only 27 minutes off the bench. He also played for the first time since sitting for the past 5½ weeks with a Grade 2 MCL sprain in his left knee.
Few can match Green’s imposing presence. He stuffed the box score in points (20), rebounds (12) and assists (nine), falling one assists shy of cementing the franchise’s first triple-double in consecutive games. Green also stuffed his opponents. He took turns stopping Pelicans forward Anthony Davis on certain plays and limiting Pelicans guard Rajon Rondo on others.
And the highlight reels played out endlessly.
Over an hour before he returned to the court, Curry concluded his pre-game warmup by launching a shot from the entrance tunnel and swishing into the net. Though Warriors coach Steve Kerr featured Curry in a bench role for the eighth time in his nine-year NBA career to ease his workload, Curry immediately played like an NBA superstar. After entering the game amid a standing ovation with 4:20 left in the first quarter, Curry needed only 12 seconds before draining his first 3-point attempt. Curry also drained a 27-foot 3-pointer for a 119-106 cushion with 1:47 remaining to stave off New Orlean’s subsequent 7-0 run.
Over an hour after Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry praised Green’s ability to play seven positions in a sport that has five, Green came close toward proving the former Warriors assistant coach right.
Green punished the Pelicans with his scoring, including a pair of free throws for a 121-113 advantage with 28 seconds left. Green punished the Pelicans with his defense, such as when he stuffed Davis at the rim that eventually led to a Klay Thompson bank shot at the buzzer for a 58-55 halftime lead. Green punished Nikola Mirotic with trash talking after drawing a 3-point play. When Rondo confronted Green shortly after the first half ended, Green kept jawing back.
Green backed up those words with stops. Though Rondo made a 3-pointer that cut the Warriors’ lead to 99-98 with 7:48 remaining in the fourth quarter, Green contested Rondo’s shot at the rim on the next possession. Green set up Kevin Durant for an open 3-pointer that extended the Warriors’ lead to 113-103 with 3:12 left.
The more temperamental Curry let his game do all the talking.
Though he nearly committed a back-court violation in the first quarter by dribbling the ball of his foot, Curry picked up the ball and nailed a long distance 3-pointer. After completing three full-court contact scrimmages in the past week, Curry appeared comfortable making hard cuts.
Curry and Green did not solve all of the Warriors’ issues. The Warriors and Pelicans traded 13 lead changes and 11 ties. Though Durant had 29 points on 11of-23 shooting, he went only 5-of-12 in the first half. After impressing the Warriors with his efficiency in the playoffs without Curry, Thompson had 10 points while shooting only 4-of-20 from the field and 2-of-11 from 3-point range.
Despite Green’s defensive versatility, the Pelicans still featured Davis (25 points), Rondo (22), Mirotic (18), Jrue Holiday (24) and Etwaun Moore (14) posting double figures. Therefore, the Warriors faced more challenges in Game 2 than when they won Game 1 by 22 points without Curry.
“Game 2’s are always hard when you win Game 1 easily,” Kerr said. “The danger is you let your guard down. We have to be on edge.”
Fortunately for the Warriors, Curry and Green helped them keep that edge. While Curry kept them sharp with shooting accuracy, Green kept them sharp with aggressive versatility.
Cavaliers 113, Raptors 112, OT
TORONTO – Raptors coach Dwane Casey didn’t agree with the narrative that Cavaliers star Lebron James has no capable players around him.
Casey didn’t believe that James and the Cavs were tired after being extended to seven games in the first round and having only one day off between series.
Casey proved clairvoyant Tuesday night. James’ supporting cast stepped up to the challenge and pulled off a stunning overtime victory over the Raptors in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
The Cavs had five players in double figures for the first time this postseason. J.R. Smith and Kyle Korver regained their shooting eye and Tristan Thompson continued his aggressive play from Sunday.
The Raptors opened a 14-point first-quarter lead, but the Cavs fought back to tie it at 105-all with 30 seconds to play on an 11-foot fallaway by James.
After scoring 40 points in three games against the Pacers, James put up a triple-double with 26 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists. He tired down the stretch, shooting 3 of 11 in the fourth quarter, 1 of 5 from long range.