And social media gave him flowers despite the defeat:

But ultimately, this was a tough loss for the Pelicans and a fantastic win for Golden State.

While the Pelicans were without key players Dejounte Murray (broken hand) and Trey Murphy III (fractured femur), they led this game by as many as 20 points and didn’t have to deal with Curry. Even on the road that should have been a victory.

But the Warriors came back storming, scoring 40 points in the third quarter, including Buddy Hield (28 points, 7 of 11 from three), Lindy Waters III (21 points, nine boards) and Jonathan Kuminga (17 points, three rebounds). , three assists, two steals, one block) led the attack.

Golden State’s defense was fantastic, forcing 22 turnovers by the Pelicans. The Dubs shot lights from beyond the arc (21 of 46, 45.7 percent). And the Warriors were balanced, with five players scoring in double figures.

The Pelicans, meanwhile, only had Williamson and Brandon Ingram (30 points) in double figures. This was a night to forget for New Orleans, but it was at least promising to see Williamson play well after fully recovering from the illness that kept him out of the season’s opening game.