Warriors Aim to Avoid Playoff Upset By Pelicans

Apr 7, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard

(30) shoots over New Orleans Pelicans forward

(44) in the final seconds of the fourth quarter in a game at the Smoothie King Center. The Pelicans defeated the Warriors 103-100. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

After posting up one of the historically greatest regular seasons in NBA history, the Golden State Warriors will now turn their attention to the playoffs and focus on winning the elusive NBA championship. Their success in the regular season has turned them into a team with championship-or-bust aspirations, and rightly so.

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While the Warriors have waltzed their way into the playoffs, the New Orleans Pelicans narrowly made it by the skin of their teeth. Requiring a win against the San Antonio Spurs on their final regular season game, they got just that, and advanced to the playoffs by virtue of winning the tiebreak against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Pelicans have been an up-and-down team for most of the regular season, and wasn’t able to fully capitalize on having Anthony Davis – one of the best players in the NBA this season.

The matchup between the two teams have drawn comparisons to the Warriors’ first-round upset over the first-seeded Dallas Mavericks in 2007. Will history be repeating itself?

We breakdown the two teams, and the key matchup that could decide the outcome of the series.

Next: Starters