NEW ORLEANS – The Warriors came to the Bayou and found themselves a victory.
Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry combined for 81 points Friday night to lead the Warriors to a 122-114 win over the New Orleans Pelicans before 18,217 at Smoothie King Center.
Durant totaled 30 points, Thompson had 28 and Curry added 23 as the Warriors evened their record at 1-1.
Center Zaza Pachulia earned his first double-double as a Warrior and Draymond Green got within range of a triple-double (8 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists).
After being battered on the glass on opening night against San Antonio, the Warriors (1-1) put forth an appreciably better effort, tying the Pelicans 49-49 in rebounding.
Sports
The Warriors overcame 9-of-28 shooting beyond the arc by making 25-of-28 from the line.
STANDOUT PERFORMERS
Durant and Thompson stamped their names on this one, but Pachulia bounced back nicely from his forgettable opening night.
Durant’s line: 30 points (9-of-19 shooting, 0-of-3 from deep, 12-of-12 from the line), 17 rebounds, six assists and two steals. He played 39 minutes and finished plus-4 for the night.
Thompson’s line: 28 points (11-of-21, 2-of-9, 4-of-4), four assists and two rebounds. He played 38 minutes and finished plus-4.
Pachulia’s line: 10 points (4-of-6) and 11 rebounds. He played 17 minutes and somehow finished minus-2.
TURNING POINT
After New Orleans took a 74-73 lead on a Tim Frazier layup with 4:36 remaining in the third quarter, the Warriors went on a 14-3 run to take an 87-77 lead on a pair of Durant free throws with 1:29 left in the quarter.
The Pelicans got no closer than six (several times inside the final minute) for the remainder of the game.
INJURY UPDATE
Warriors: G Pat McCaw (L ankle sprain) left at halftime and did not return. C Damian Jones (R pectoral surgery) was listed as out.
Pelicans: G Tyreke Evans (R knee recovery), G Jrue Holiday (family leave) and F Quincy Pondexter (L knee recovery) were listed as out.
WHAT’S NEXT
The Warriors return to action Sunday afternoon in Phoenix, where they face the Suns at 3 p.m. at Talking Stick Resort Arena.
