The Stats Zone
· Trystan Pugh

2018-19 NBA Regular Season – New Orleans Pelicans @ Golden State Warriors Preview & Prediction

Post Share

AT A GLANCE

When is New Orleans Pelicans @ Golden State Warriors taking place? Thursday 1st November 2018, 02:30 (UK)’

Where is New Orleans Pelicans @ Golden State Warriors taking place? Oracle Arena

What channel is New Orleans Pelicans @ Golden State Warriors on? Local - FOX Sports New Orleans; UK – Sky Sports Main Event

Where can I stream New Orleans Pelicans @ Golden State Warriors in the UK? Sky Sports subscribers can stream the match via Sky Go

Are tickets still available for New Orleans Pelicans @ Golden State Warriors? Tickets can be found here - https://www1.ticketmaster.com/golden-state-warriors-vs-new-orleans-oakland-california-10-31-2018/event/1C005502AA33519D

HEAD-TO-HEAD
Last five meetings: Pelicans W1, Warriors W4 (regular season only)
All-time meetings: Pelicans W20, Warriors W34 (regular season only)

THE LOWDOWN

NEW ORLEANS PELICANS

Head Coach: Alvin Gentry

Team Captain: Anthony Davis

Conference: Western Conference

Division: Southwest Division

W/L: 4-2

  • Should we call the Pelicans as one of the biggest surprises of the Western Conference so far? They reached the Western Conference semi-finals during the 2017-18 season and they have started the new campaign with four wins out of their first six games, although their two defeats have come in their most recent matches against the Denver Nuggets and the Utah Jazz, two playoff-calibre teams in the West. The loss against Utah was particularly ugly since they lost by a 21-point differential.

  • The Pelicans have been scoring at will, though, since they average 122.5 points per game; that’s the second-highest mark in the league and only the Warriors (124.2) top it. That number has decreased heavily over their last three games, however, where the Pelicans ‘only’ average 113.0 points per game. One of the big reasons for this drop-off could be attributed to the absence of Anthony Davis, who has been out with an elbow injury and is on a day-to-day status. He currently averages 27.3 points, 13.3 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 3.8 blocks and 2.5 steals per game at this stage.

  • Davis is not the only player who’s out with a day-to-day status for the Pelicans, though. Starting point guard Elfrid Payton is also questionable due to an ankle problem, while Darius Miller is sidelined with a quadricep problem.

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS

Head Coach: Steve Kerr

Team Captain: Stephen Curry

Conference: Western Conference

Division: Pacific Division

W/L: 7-1

  • It seems we are constantly asking “who could stop the Warriors?” and this is once again the case through the first eight games of the 2018-19 NBA season. Though they are not undefeated thanks to a loss against the Denver Nuggets back on October 21, Golden State have been clicking in all cylinders and they are currently riding a five-game winning streak. However, four of those wins came against non-playoff teams from last season (Phoenix, New York, Brooklyn and Chicago), with Washington being the lone exception.

  • Speaking of stopping Golden State, that’s something the Chicago Bulls couldn’t do last time out. Klay Thompson registered an NBA record of 14 three-pointers in that game, and he finished with an astonishing 52-point performance in a 149-124 rout of the Bulls. However, Thompson is not the only important player for Golden State, with Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant both averaging over 28 points per game (32.5 for Curry and 28.2 for Durant)

  • The Warriors won’t have DeMarcus Cousins available for this game due to his Achilles problem, and he’s not expected back until after the All-Star Break. Shaun Livingston is on a day-to-day status due to a foot injury.

THE PREDICTION

Two of the top teams in the Western Conference will collide at Oracle Arena and we could very well see these two teams in the postseason again, but right now there is no doubt that the Warriors are better equipped. Having won five in a row, they already own the best record in the Western Conference through the first eight games, and with home advantage they shouldn’t have too many problems in clinching another win – especially since the Pelicans are riding a losing streak of their own.

TSZ Latest