Warriors Dominate Pelicans with Historic Win

Stephen Curry scored 41 points and played into overtime to help the Golden State Warriors defeat Orlando on Saturday. However, in their next game, Curry needed only 10 shots in a decisive win at home against the New Orleans Pelicans. Curry and Brandin Podziemski each contributed 25 points in Golden State’s 138-87 victory on Monday at Chase Center.

According to ESPN Insights, the 51-point margin marked the largest win by any NBA team this season. It was also the Warriors’ biggest home win since November 2, 1991. In that game, Chris Mullin scored 32 points to lead the Warriors to a 153-91 victory over the Sacramento Kings. Curry was only three years old at that time.

New Orleans faced Golden State in the second game of a back-to-back series, without key starters Zion Williamson, who rested, and Trey Murphy III, sidelined with a knee issue. Golden State quickly gained control, leading 29-13 by the end of the first quarter and stretching their lead to 35 points in the second quarter.

Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg scored 16 points by halftime, surpassing Podziemski’s 15. Together, they accounted for 31 of the Warriors’ first 72 points. The Pelicans trailed by 29 points at halftime and struggled even more in the third quarter.

Golden State scored 40 points in the third quarter, following 35 in the first and 37 in the second. By the remaining 3:13 in the third, the Warriors had passed the 100-point mark and led by 40 points. Curry hit four of the Warriors’ 21 three-pointers and concluded his game in just over 20 minutes. His 25 points pushed him to 26,803 career points, moving past DeMar DeRozan for 16th place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.

Lendeborg finished with 23 points, seven rebounds, and four assists, making him one of three Golden State players with at least 23 points. For the Pelicans, Derik Queen led with 16 points.

The victory secured a 6-0 homestand for the Warriors, extending their winning streak to eight games following three consecutive losses at the season’s start. The win surpassed the efforts of the 1950-51 Boston Celtics. They had also rebounded from an 0-3 start with seven straight wins, but Golden State’s latest victory takes them beyond Boston and any other NBA team that started 0-3.