On October 30 last year, the Golden State Warriors trounced the Pelicans 130-102 in New Orleans as part of a 5-1 start to the season. Now, a mere two-and-a-half months later, a stunning 64-point turnaround further showcased the franchise's continued demise.
After conceding 76 points in the first-half to the Toronto Raptors on Sunday, a couple days off did little to reinvigorate the Warrior defense who gave up nine three-pointers and 46 first-quarter points to the Pelicans on Wednesday night.
The Golden State Warriors' season has gone from bad to worse, losing by a season-high 36 points in a 141-105 defeat to the New Orleans Pelicans
Much like that Raptors performance, Golden State found a way to claw back into the game after finding themselves down by 25 early in the second-quarter. Yet after the Warriors got within 10 early in the third-quarter, the Pelicans reasserted their dominance over the final 15 minutes to sink the hosts further into the mire.
There was little to be enthusiastic about for the Chase Center crowd, with their voice really only found through a chorus of boos for the second-straight game. Moses Moody helped breathe signs of life to close the first-half, having scored 12 points of 4-of-5 shooting from three-point range.
Despite their comeback efforts, Golden State never found a way to combat the New Orleans offense who continually feasted whether it inside or from beyond the perimeter. Sharing the love with eight double-digit scorers, the Pelicans shot 57.4% from the floor and 47.5% from three-point range.
More boos from the fans in Chase Center. That's two games in a row that the Warriors get boo'd by their home fans.
— Kendra Andrews (@kendra__andrews) January 11, 2024
Moody was perhaps the lone bright spot for the Warriors, though even he was far from perfect having scored 21 points on 8-of-18 shooting. Fellow youngster Trayce Jackson-Davis finished with a career-high 19 points, yet many of them came in garbage time.
After scoring just nine points against the Raptors on Sunday, two-time MVP Stephen Curry failed to regain the touch. The 35-year-old had only 15 points on 4-of-13 shooting, having only played 25 minutes given the blowout loss.
Klay Thompson had 13 points on an efficient 5-of-10 shooting, but he too only played 24 minutes. Jonathan Kuminga continued his streak of 10+ points with 12 points, three rebounds and four assists, yet the third-year forward was also far from his best.
Andrew Wiggins' confidence continues to fade, finishing a game-low -29 for the second consecutive game. The 2022 All-Star has now scored just 11 total points through his last three games, which is sure to only add to growing speculation regarding his future.
In a period where they were supposed to gain confidence and surge up the standings, the Warriors look near enough to broken after a 2-5 record through their seven-game home-stand. They'll now travel to Chicago to face the Bulls at United Center on Friday.