PREVIEW: NBA Playoffs Round 1 Game 4: Warriors (3-0) At New Orleans Pelicans (0-3) – David Lee Returns

Golden State Warriors (3-0) at New Orleans Pelicans (0-3)

Tip-off: Saturday, April 25th, 2015 – 5:00PM PDT

Location: Oracle Arena, Oakland, CA

TV: CSN Bay Area & ESPN | Radio: KNBR 680 AM

Livetweet: @LetsGoWarriors #LetsGoWarriorsLive

Projected Starting Lineups:

Warriors

Career Playoff Averages

PG: Stephen Curry (24.5 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 8.0 APG)

SG: Klay Thompson (16.9 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 2.5 APG)

SF: Harrison Barnes (12.5 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 1.3 APG)

PF: Draymond Green (8.8 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 2.5 APG)

C: Andrew Bogut (7.6 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 2.4 APG)

Head Coach: Steve Kerr (3-0, 1.000)

Pelicans

Career Playoff Averages

PG: Tyreke Evans (12.0 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 5.0 APG)

SG: Eric Gordon (15.0 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 3.3 APG)

SF: Quincy Pondexter (7.0 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 0.9 APG)

PF: Anthony Davis (30.0 PPG, 10.7 RPG, 2.3 APG)

C: Omer Asik (7.5 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 1.0 APG)

Head Coach: Monty Williams (2-7, .222)

Series Game Recaps/Schedule

GAME ONE: On Saturday, 4/18/2015, the Warriors defeated the Pelicans, 106-99. Golden State led by as many as 25 points, but a total of 13 missed free throws and 35 points from Davis helped New Orleans come back, although the rally fell short as Curry scored 34 points but shot just 4-for-13 from downtown.

GAME TWO: On Monday, 4/20/2015, the Warriors defeated the Pelicans, 97-87, holding New Orleans to just 9 second-half made field goals.

GAME THREE: On Thursday, 4/25/2015, the Warriors defeated the Pelicans in overtime, 123-119, as Curry hit a dramatic three-pointer with 2.8 seconds remaining to send the game into regulation, erasing a 20-point fourth quarter deficit.

GAME FOUR is scheduled for Saturday, 4/25/2015, in New Orleans, LA.

GAME FIVE, if necessary, is scheduled for Tuesday, 4/28/2015, in Oakland, CA.

GAME SIX, if necessary, is scheduled for Friday, 5/1/2015, in New Orleans, LA.

GAME SEVEN, if necessary, is scheduled for Sunday, 5/3/2015, in Oakland, CA.

Game Notes

• “David Lee will be active tonight after looking good in 3-on-3 scrimmage yesterday.” — Rusty Simmons, San Francisco Chronicle

• “David Lee notes playoff motto is Strength in Numbers. ‘I’m just happy to be another number that’s back and willing to help our team.'” — Diamond Leung, Bay Area News Group

• “David Lee told me he’s really only played 3 on 3 practice, way diff than playoff game. Not in pain but sore. If sweep, rest good for him…Just spoke w D Lee, said he’s most affected by back when sprinting. Available but won’t assume he’ll play a lot,more emergency/foul trouble.” — Rosalyn Gold-Onwude, Warriors sideline reporter

• “Steve Kerr on #Warriors 3-0 lead before Game 4: ‘You never feel comfortable as a coach. I felt a lot more comfortable as a player.'” — Monte Poole, CSN Bay Area

• “Sixty-six of the first 110 NBA teams to lead 3-0 in a best-of-seven series went on to sweep the series.” — Simmons

• “Draymond Green says given Game 3 result, “I feel like it’s destined for us to come out here and get a sweep.” (via Bleacher Report) — Leung

• “‘We could’ve won the last two games, it’s just frustrating,’ said Davis, whose team also blew a 13-point lead in Game 2.
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  The Warriors have a 3-0 lead in a best-of-seven series for the first time since the 1975 NBA Finals, when they swept Washington to earn the franchise’s only championship since moving to California.
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  This Golden State team had so many blowout wins this season – its 10.1 scoring differential was the NBA’s best in seven years – but none of the victories on its current seven-game winning streak has been by more than 11 points.
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  ‘These guys are so confident. They are different,’ coach Steve Kerr told the NBA’s official website. ‘They never stop believing that they can do almost anything. Maybe it gets them into trouble. But it’s also what got them out.'” — Justin Einhorn, AP/STATS

It's a white-out tonite, G4 Warriors and Pelicans… pic.twitter.com/u0GvuE92F6

— Tim Roye (@warriorsvox) April 25, 2015

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