Possible Playoff Series: #1 Golden State Warriors vs. #8 New Orleans Pelicans
Season Series:
- Game 1: December 4, Pelicans 85 @ Warriors 112
- Game 2: – December 14, Warriors 128 @ Pelicans 122 in OT
- Game 3: – March 20, Pelicans 96 @ Warriors 112
- Game 4: – April 7, Warriors 100 @ Pelicans 103
With the NBA on the brink of the playoffs, it’s an adequate time to see who the Golden State Warriors can potentially face in the tournament that eventually crowns the winner of the Larry O’Brien trophy.
In the first round, Golden State won’t face a measly task. The Western Conference continues to gain strength and even as a number one seed, some challenges can try to conflict the Warriors’ quest to win it all.
The New Orleans Pelicans look to make the postseason for the first time since Chris Paul was on the team, when they were still the Hornets. They are now led by one of the young faces in the league, Anthony Davis.
Take a closer look at what to expect in the postseason if these two teams do end up playing one another:
Cons
Anthony Davis Is A Monster
It’s still hard to believe Anthony Davis turned just 22-years old last month. He is already by far the best young big man in the league. He can block and alter shots due to his quickness, length, and athleticism around the length. He might not block a Steph Curry or Klay Thompson shot near the rim every single time, but he can make it much more difficult.
The Unibrow is averaging 24.3 points, 10.2 points, and 2.9 blocks per game. He shoots 53 percent from the field and 80 percent from the free throw line. He’ll be a tough cover for anyone. The Warriors defended him well in New Orleans for the first half of the game, but he took over in the second. He can shoot jumpers and beat you around the rim with his athleticism.
They Can Get Hot From Beyond The Arc
The Warriors witnessed first-hand how hot Quincy Pondexter can get from the three-point line. He has been on a tear. In March he averaged 48 percent from beyond the arc on 4.5 attempts per game. So far in April, he’s averaging 55.6 percent on 5.1 tries a night.
Eric Gordon also looks healthy and he’s known as a good three-point shooter when he is at 100 percent. He’s shot 44 percent from beyond the arc on the year, and 47 percent on 5.4 attempts a game in seven games so far this month. Ryan Anderson is back, and although he’s been rusty since his return, he has a few more games left of the season to get back to what he was. Anderson is a tough cover for most big men in the league, Andrew Bogut included.
New Orleans Plays With A Chip On Their Shoulder
If the Pelicans can sneak into the playoffs, that means they would have beaten a few teams with over 50 wins to end the season. Yes, the Warriors are included in that group. Anthony Davis told media that a player on the Warriors called the game a scrimmage prior to the start. Jrue Holiday is also back. He scored 17 points in 15 minute for the Pelicans on Tuesday, knocking down 7 out of 9 shots.
Any team that comes in as an 8th seed has a chip on their shoulder, there’s no exception in this case. The Saints overshadow the Pelicans in New Orleans. It’s been well documented how bad Davis wants to help the city win and do well. The chip can’t get any bigger than going up against the 60 plus win Warriors team in a series where they will need to steal a game at Oracle Arena in order to win.
Pros
Pelicans Lack Playoff Experience
Their best players in Davis and Tyreke Evans have both had no playoff experience. The roster has an average age of 25.9, the 11th youngest team in the league.
The Warriors, Spurs, Clippers, Rockets, Clippers, Blazers, and Grizzlies have all had more playoff experience than the Pelicans. They haven’t been in the postseason since the 2010-11 season. Only Quincy Pondexter was on that roster.
They Aren’t Well Coached
Monty Williams has had a reputation for not using Anthony Davis the right way. The offense is rarely ran through him and he doesn’t even rank among the top twenty league-wide in usage percentage. Davis has a usage percentage of 27.7, ranking him 26th.
Williams gets tons of criticism for his rotations and not using guys the correct way. He also gets heat for not building a top-notch defense in New Orleans despite having Davis and being known as a defense first coach.
The Warriors Are Simply More Talented and Have More Depth
The Pelicans haven’t been healthy nearly all season. Whether it’s been Davis, Anderson, Tyreke Evans, or Jrue Holiday, they have been an injury-plagued team. Regardless, they are not on the same tier that the Warriors and other legitimate title contenders in the league are in.
With as good as Davis is, Curry is even better and one of the top three to five players in the league right now. Klay Thompson is one of the best shooters on the planet and is lethal on the defensive side of the ball. Draymond Green would be the second best player on the Pelicans and Andrew Bogut is rejuvenated and excited to play in the postseason after missing out last year.
Verdict
The Pelicans’ length can be scary. They have a few 7-footers on the team and that’s not counting Davis who is 6’10. However, the Warriors use small-ball to their advantage. While the Pelicans might be able to keep up with the Warriors’ shooting when they are on, no one can touch Steph Curry when he is on. He’s too good to have his team lose in the first round, especially if Klay Thompson and Draymond Green continue to excel in their roles next to the leading candidate for MVP.
Warriors 4 Pelicans 1