Buddy Hield exploded for 19 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Golden State Warriors to a 124-106 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans. Steph Curry was out with a mild sprained ankle, and both Wiggins and Melton were out with lower back spasms.
Buddy Hield heroics weren’t the only thing to get excited about in this win. The Dubs found their defensive footing and smothered the Pelicans in the second half. The damage was 34 points off of 22 forced turnovers. Whenever the Warriors can get out in the open court, they unleash the Kraken that is our transition offense.
While Jonathan Kuminga struggled in the first half he really seemed to settle into a sniper role, probing and picking out weaknesses in the Pel’s defense. He made a handful of really smart, controlled offensive plays that kept the offense flowing. He also contributed some great pressure defense, key rebounds, and pesky deflections that all contributed to the flow of the game. Lindy Waters also was a flame thrower in the second half and lit it up from the three-point line.
