The New Orleans Pelicans averted a late-game collapse to hack out a thrilling 114-109 road win over the Golden State Warriors for a fourth straight win and remain sixth in the Western Conference.
CUT LIKE DAT#Pelicans | @HancockWhitney pic.twitter.com/YSxhfODDBf
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) April 13, 2024
CJ McCollum topscored the Pelicans with a team-high 28 points, built on eight triples. That included a clutch trey to make it 112-106 with a 1:03 ticks left in the fourth to give New Orleans some much-needed breathing room.
TRIPLE NUMBER 8 FOR CJ. CLUTCH.
He's hit 17 threes over the last 2 days 🤯
— NBA (@NBA) April 13, 2024
Pels up 6... Final minute on NBA App: https://t.co/mD6JQoMT0R pic.twitter.com/dX4jLr43ea
However, Steph Curry answered back with a booming three-pointer of his own to close the gap at 112-109 in the ensuing possession.
Steph answers back... he's got 16 in the 4th!
— NBA (@NBA) April 13, 2024
3-point game, 40 seconds to play. https://t.co/RkyNPWIHY9 pic.twitter.com/nSc1dznSyz
After a Zion Williamson miss, Golden State had a chance to send the game to overtime. But Curry’s contested triple over two defenders with 13 seconds left rimmed out before Trey Murphy iced the win with a pair of free-throws.
Curry finished the game with 33 markers, including 14 in the final frame, built on seven triples in a tough loss.
Williamson added 26 points and six steals while Murphy chipped in 24.
The Pelicans continued their red-hot shooting in San Francisco with 20 triples made, just two short of their 22 three-pointers connected in Friday’s win over Sacramento. After trailing 26-17 in the opening frame, the Pelicans responded with a 45-point second quarter and claimed a 62-48 halftime lead.
Pels COULDN'T MISS in the 2nd quarter.
— NBA (@NBA) April 13, 2024
10-13 from deep 🤯
They lead crucial #6 vs. #10 in West battle at the half.
Watch free 📲 https://t.co/mD6JQoMT0R pic.twitter.com/pPT5tPe3hj
Meanwhile, Klay Thompson added 19 points, Andrew Wiggins chipped in 18 points, and Draymond Green contributed 12 rebounds and 11 assists in just the second loss over the past 11 games for Golden State.
Trayce Jackson-Davis chalked up his sixth double-double of his rookie season after scoring 10 points and grabbing 11 rebounds.
Trailing 88-75 entering the fourth, the Warriors responded with a 14-3 run to close within three-points off a Thompson triple with 8:19 ticks left.
The loss means the 2022 NBA champs will likely land as the ninth or tenth seed in the West Play-In Tournament, which will start on Wednesday.
New Orleans (49-32) will close out the regular season against the LA Lakers, with Golden State facing the Utah Jazz.
