PREVIEW: NBA Playoffs Round 1 Game 2: Warriors (1-0) Try To Keep Pressure On New Orleans Pelicans (0-1)

New Orleans Pelicans (0-1) at Golden State Warriors (1-0)

Tip-off: Monday, April 20th, 2015 – 7:30PM PDT

Location: Oracle Arena, Oakland, CA

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

Livetweet: @LetsGoWarriors #LetsGoWarriorsLive

Projected Starting Lineups:

Pelicans

Career Playoff Averages

PG: Eric Gordon (16.0 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 3.0 APG)

SG: Tyreke Evans (1.0 PPG, 1.0 RPG, 0.0 APG)

SF: Quincy Pondexter (20.0 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 6.0 APG)

PF: Anthony Davis (35.0 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 1.0 APG)

C: Omer Asik (2.0 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 1.0 APG)

Head Coach: Monty Williams (2-5, .286)

Warriors

Career Playoff Averages

PG: Stephen Curry (23.8 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 8.1 APG)

SG: Klay Thompson (15.9 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 2.5 APG)

SF: Harrison Barnes (13.0 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 1.2 APG)

PF: Draymond Green (8.4 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 2.3 APG)

C: Andrew Bogut (7.8 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 2.4 APG)

Head Coach: Steve Kerr (1-0, 1.000)

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 THREE is scheduled for Thursday, 4/23/2015, in New Orleans, LA.

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

• “Monty Williams says Oracle Arena noise ‘out of hand'” — Tom Haberstroh, ESPN.com

• “Kerr said David Lee’s back is getting better but will be out for Game 2 tonight.” — LetsGoWarriors

• “Monty Williams on injuries to Evans and Jrue: “Tyreke’s gonna be a half-time decision and we’ll wait to see how they feel before the game.” — LetsGoWarriors

• “Monty Williams on #Warriors ‘I told my guys, they didn’t win 67 games just by showing up’ said w’s will elevate their game” — Sarah Todd, SFBay.ca

• “Both coaches on momentum carrying over from game to game in Playoffs: Kerr: ‘I don’t believe in it,’ Monty Williams: ‘I hope so.’ — LetsGoWarriors

• “Kerr said he expects the bench to play “a little bit more” when asked about Speights and Livingston.” — LetsGoWarriors

• “it leaves all the expectations on Davis, especially with the Pelicans facing the prospect of playing without point guards Tyreke Evans and Jrue Holiday, who are questionable with injuries. Of course, Williams said the one thing he never worries with Davis is how he’ll handle pressure.
  .
  ‘Late-game situations, if I’m out there in the huddle, he’s looking me in the eyes the whole time,’ Williams said. ‘If I look up, he’s looking at me. Because he just wants to tell me like, “OK, give me the ball. I’ll do it.”‘
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  But there’s a learning curve for everybody in the playoffs. Warriors point guard Stephen Curry said he had first-game jitters two years ago in Denver, and now he’s a possible MVP on the NBA’s best team.” — Antonio Gonzalez, AP