#12 Golden State Warriors (3-2) at #4 New Orleans Pelicans (4-0)
Tip-off: Saturday, July 18th, 2015 – 7:00PM PDT
Location: Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, NV
TV: NBA TV | Radio: Warriors.com/app
Livetweet: @LetsGoWarriors #LetsGoWarriorsLive (by @Kirwan421)
Warriors Roster
PROJECTED STARTERS:
PG: #2 Aaron Craft (Rookie, Santa Cruz Warriors/Ohio State)
SG: #21 Michael Frazier (Rookie, Florida)
SF: #32 LaDontae Henton (Rookie, Providence)
PF: #20 James Michael McAdoo (2nd year, Golden State Warriors/North Carolina)
C: #44 Stefan Nastic (Rookie, Stanford University)
HEAD COACH: Luke Walton (3-2, .600)
RESERVES:
G #25 Johnny Dee (Rookie, San Diego University)
F #45 David Kravish (Rookie, University of California, Berkeley)
G #22 Doron Lamb (3rd year, Westchester Knicks/University of Kentucky)
F #36 Kevon Looney (Rookie, University of California, Los Angeles)
C #44 Stefan Nastic (Rookie, Stanford University)
G #3 Aqeel Quin (Rookie, San Diego State University)
G #15 Chasson Randle (Rookie, Stanford University)
C #55 Matt Stainbrook (Rookie, Xavier University)
F #8 Julian Washburn (Rookie, University of Texas, El Paso)
OUT: Ognjen Kuzmic (3rd year, Golden State Warriors/Bosnia & Herzegovina) is back home to play with the Serbian national team.
Pelicans
PROJECTED STARTERS:
PG: #7 Larry Drew II (3rd year, Sioux Falls Skyforce, NBDL)
SG: #12 Seth Curry (3rd year, Erie Bayhawks, NBDL)
SF: #31 Bryce Dejean-Jones (Rookie, Iowa State University)
PF: #2 Victor Rudd (2nd year, Delaware 87ers, NBDL)
C: #22 Khem Birch (2nd year, Sioux Falls Skyforce, NBDL)
HEAD COACH: Darren Erman (10-0, 1.000)
Game Notes
Curry leads the 2015 NBA Summer League in scoring at 25.2 points per game and will be the primary focus for the defensive-minded Warriors, a team that held the Sacramento Kings scoreless on 17 consecutive sequences and forced the New York Knicks to just 2-for-18 shooting in the second quarter a day later.
“He’s playing at a high level and he’s leading the summer league in scoring, so we know we’ve got a tough task ahead of us,” head coach Walton told LetsGoWarriors this morning at shootaround. “We’re going to try a couple little different things defensively, as far as being more aggressive to get the ball out of his hands, but when you’re dealing with skilled players like that, you just do your best to make them take tough shots. You know they’re going to get hot at some point. They’re going to score points. It’s just about making them take tough shots.”
At the opening tip, Warriors floor leader Craft, who was 2014-15 NBDL Defensive Player Of The Year, will try to stop Curry, who may be nearing an NBA contract.
“Aaron Craft’s the best defensive guard we have, probably one of the best defensive guards in this whole league, so he’ll be on him,” said Walton.
“(Curry)’s playing at a very, very high level, so I’m going to try to do my best to try to keep him in front and limit his easy looks,” said Craft at shootaround. “If it’s extra motivation (that Curry leads the summer in scoring), I’m not sure, but you do get a little more excited to guard someone that’s obviously playing really well.”
The Warriors are looking for a third straight game forcing their opponent into tough shots. New York shot just 21.7%, Sacramento shot just 36.4%, and Cleveland 39.7% in the previous three wins. In the Warriors’ two losses, Sacramento shot better than 50% and Atlanta 44.4%. Power forward Sutton is also leading the summer league in steals at 3.3, tied with, ironically, Curry.
“You give a game plan and it could be terrible or it could be good, but if the effort’s not there, it won’t work,” said Walton of the Golden State culture of commitment to defense. “Whether it’s a good or bad game plan, if they’re playing as hard as our (NBA Warriors) guys play, they’ll at least make it look somewhat decent.”
“It’s definitely going to be a team effort,” said Craft. “A big guy like (Curry) that’s scoring so much and they have other great, great players around him that’s really helped him.”
The Warriors will also have the opportunity to break their former assistant Erman’s ongoing Summer League winning streak of ten straight victories.
(Photo: @letsgowarriors Instagram account via NBAE/Getty)
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