Warriors shake off Bayou Blues to defeat Pelicans 111-95

After a slow start, the Dubs got a big win on the road in Curry’s return from injury.

From watching Dub Nation collectively hold its breath through an abysmal first quarter to witnessing the inevitable resurrection that followed, last night’s Warriors-Pelicans matchup was a perfect encapsulation of this season’s roller coaster.

The Warriors clawed back from early catastrophe to secure a convincing 111-95 victory over the Pelicans, maintaining their grip on seventh place in the increasingly chaotic Western Conference playoff race with a 42-31 record.

Is there anything more predictable than the Warriors starting a game like they forgot how to play basketball, only to transform mid-game into the basketball equivalent of a tactical nuclear strike? The first quarter in New Orleans was basketball malpractice – a minus-35 catastrophe during this road trip that had Anthony Slater tweeting obituaries before halftime.

But then, as if summoned by the collective despair of Warriors Twitter, Stephen Curry remembered he’s still Stephen Curry.

The 37-year-old maestro, fresh off his latest injury absence, orchestrated a comeback that made the Pelicans look like they were playing a different sport entirely. Curry’s 23 points on 7-21 shooting (5-16 from distance) might seem pedestrian by his otherworldly standards, but his gravitational pull reorganized the entire offensive ecosystem.

Jimmy Butler contributed 18 points with 10 rebounds while Jonathan Kuminga continued his emergence with a steady 16-point, 7-rebound performance off the bench. The trio’s chemistry looked surprisingly cohesive despite Curry’s absence, suggesting Coach Kerr might have finally found rotation combinations that don’t make fans question their life choices.

Perhaps most impressive was the defensive intensity that materialized after halftime. The Warriors transformed from matadors into brick walls, generating 16 turnovers that converted to 23 points. New Orleans’ starting five looked increasingly bewildered as the game progressed, with Kelly Olynyk and Jordan Hawkins combining for a brutal 4-17 shooting night.

The victory wasn’t without concerns – Draymond Green’s six turnovers and the starters’ collective 8-30 performance from beyond the arc won’t cut it against elite competition. But for a team that’s spent the season searching for identity like it’s a lost set of car keys, this win demonstrated resilience that cannot be ignored.

Watching a 37-year-old Curry return from injury and seamlessly direct traffic remains one of basketball’s most remarkable phenomena. While Father Time remains undefeated, he seems remarkably hesitant to challenge Curry’s handles.

With nine games remaining and the play-in tournament looming, this victory provides critical momentum heading into the season’s final stretch. The Warriors now return to Chase Center for a three-game homestand with renewed confidence and their leader back at the helm – just in time for the games that actually matter.