The NBA Emirates Cup continued in New Orleans today with a match between two of the West’s most versatile teams: the Warriors and the Pelicans. 48 minutes of fighting resulted in the Warriors coming out on top with a 112-108 win.
The Warriors led for most of the game but they never really built a big lead until the fourth quarter. After a hard-fought campaign in the first 36 minutes, they were able to make a run with the starters down the stretch that sealed their fate and further solidified their place in the standings.
Andrew Wiggins led the way for the Warriors with 30 points, 4 assists, and 3 rebounds on 64.3% shooting. Stephen Curry joined him on the stat sheet with 19 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists on 4-7 shooting from three. In 24:43 minutes of playtime, Draymond Green put up 11 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists on 50% shooting. Off the bench, Brandin Podziemski contributed 11 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists on 5-11 shooting.
It was a rough night all around for the Pelicans, and it was clear they didn’t have enough firepower without Zion Williamson. With 18 points and 7 assists on 7-16 shooting, Brandon Ingram tried to fill Zion’s shoes, but it clearly wasn’t enough to win. Trey Murphy III finished with 24 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists on 52.9% shooting while Jeremiah Robinson-Earl dropped 19 points, 12 rebounds, and 2 steals off the bench.
The Warriors, 12-3 this season, are perfect 3-0 in the NBA Cup this year and are on a trajectory that should have the Western Conference shaking in fear. Tonight, we saw what makes the Warriors so dangerous and why, even on Steph’s worst nights, they can still outpace most of the competition.
Andrew Wiggins Stepped Up
The story of the game was undoubtedly Andrew Wiggins. He continued his recent hot streak tonight with a team-high 30 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds, and 2 blocks in 28:16 minutes. He shot 64.3% from the field and went 3-5 from three.
After coming from Minnesota back in 2020, the Warriors leaned on Wiggins to be a core piece of their future and it’s worked in their favor. As a pure wing shooter and elite isolation scorer, Wiggins has more scoring potential than most at his position and it’s allowed the Warriors to play with added levels of freedom on the court.
This season, despite all the drama from his past, Wiggins is having one of his best stretches yet, and the win today shows how strong the Warriors are when he’s playing well and stepping up in his role as a leader of the team. For the season, Wiggins is currently averaging 16.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game on 47.3% shooting.
Draymond Green Shined On Defense
You can’t talk about the Warriors without talking about Draymond Green and his fingerprints were all over this game. He started the game 3-3 from downtown but it’s on the defensive end where he really stood out.
The former Defensive Player of the Year was making plays all throughout the game, contesting shots and doing everything he could to get the opponent off their rhythm. Green, who finished the game with 11 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists, was +7 in the game (best out of all the starters) and challenged the Pelicans every chance he could.
The Warriors, who are the fourth-ranked defense team this season, held the Pelicans to just 44.6% shooting as a team and they managed to win the rebound battle by 9 (52-43). The Warriors’ defense right now is eerily similar to how it was back in the glory days when they were at the very top of the basketball food chain.
Warriors Overcame Crucial Mistakes
The Warriors had the advantage at home against a short-handed Pelicans team. Even still, they were practically begging to give the game away with their careless basketball in the final frame. They committed 16 turnovers as a team, including a pair of fourth-quarter fumbles by Curry and Draymond with the game on the line.
In the past, while late-game collapses would have typically been a problem, the Warriors managed to weather the storm and regain control in the final seconds. Thanks to solid execution and perfect late-game free-throw shooting, the Warriors narrowly escaped with the win and proved that they have broken some of their previous bad habits.
With their backs against the wall and facing potential disaster, the Warriors didn’t panic. Instead, they held their ground and maintained their winning, championship formula until the very end.
In the end, it was far from the cleanest win for the Warriors and Stephen Curry nearly gave it away in the closing minutes. But it says a lot that the Warriors were able to keep their composure and close the deal against a feisty Pelicans team.
Unfortunately, the Warriors won’t have time to celebrate this victory. Tomorrow, November 23rd, they’re set to complete their back-to-back slate with a game against the Spurs at 8:30 PM EST at Frost Bank Center. They another two days before heading back home for a game against the Brooklyn Nets. On November 27th, 8:30 PM EST, the Warriors will play another game against the Spurs on the eve of Thanksgiving.
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