Stephen Curry scored 23 points in his return from a two-game absence, leading the Golden State Warriors to a 111-95 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night.
Coming back from a pelvic bruise suffered on March 20, Curry struggled with his shot, making just 7 of 21 attempts, but he connected on five 3-pointers. He also added four rebounds and six assists in 34 minutes.
Jimmy Butler contributed 18 points and 10 rebounds, while Jonathan Kuminga added 16 points off the bench. The Warriors (42-31) improved to 1-2 on their six-game road trip as they continue their push for a top-six seed in the Western Conference.
Bruce Brown led the short-handed Pelicans (20-54) with 18 points. Rookie center Yves Missi recorded his 12th double-double of the season with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
New Orleans was without four starters, including Zion Williamson, who missed his fourth game with a lower back injury. The Pelicans put up a competitive fight early but faltered in the second half.
Golden State got off to a slow start, missing 15 of its first 16 attempts from beyond the arc. The Pelicans capitalized and built a 12-point lead in the first quarter.
The Warriors responded after halftime, opening the third quarter on an 8-0 run behind 3-pointers from Curry and Brandin Podziemski. Golden State controlled the game from that point, maintaining the lead for nearly the entire second half.
Draymond Green finished with six points, five rebounds, and six assists. Podziemski added 10 points and six rebounds.
New Orleans continued to fight despite its depleted roster. Elfrid Payton, who has played limited minutes this season, recorded 10 assists in 23 minutes. Kelly Olynyk struggled from the field, going scoreless on 0-for-7 shooting but contributed six rebounds and two steals.
Golden State finished the night shooting 41.3% overall and 23.6% from three-point range. The Warriors made 13 of 55 attempts from deep, overcoming their early struggles with improved second-half efficiency.
The Pelicans shot 40.7% from the field and 30.4% from three. New Orleans also committed 15 turnovers, which Golden State turned into 18 points.
With the victory, the Warriors remain in the mix for a direct playoff spot, sitting in seventh place in the Western Conference.
