The Pelicans showed off what makes them fun in their Game 3 blowout of Warriors

The New Orleans Pelicans have been redeemed — for a night, anyway — from that haunting, unforgettable Game 3 from three years ago. You might remember the Pelicans going to the playoffs in Golden State’s first title year, taking a 93-75 lead in the fourth quarter, and blowing it thanks to an impossible Stephen Curry three-pointer from the corner.

This year, New Orleans entered the fourth quarter up 92-75. They did not blow it. They have beaten the Warriors in the postseason, finally.

With a 119-100 win in Friday’s Game 3, the Pelicans merely cut the Warriors’ series lead to 2-1. Golden State is still massive favorites, but it was remarkable how well New Orleans shellacked them for 48 full minutes. They led by nine points after the first quarter, took a six-point advantage into halftime, and pulled away for good in the third quarter.

It was the Jrue Holiday and Anthony Davis show yet again: Holiday had 21 points on 8-of-14 shooting, while Davis — almost surely a future MVP, and remember he’s still only 25 — dropped 33 points, 18 rebounds, three assists, and four steals. It was also more than that.

For a team that was once left for dead when DeMarcus Cousins suffered his season-ending Achilles injury, they have come together beautifully. There’s Rajon Rondo, the non-scorer who dropped just four points but tallied 21 assists. Twenty-one! There’s the trade deadline addition, Nikola Mirotic, whose 16 points, 13 rebounds, and three assists proved enormous. There’s Ian Clark, former Warrior, who came off the bench for 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting.

This team, man. What are you supposed to do with this?

Or this?

Davis is still the tiniest notch below Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant as a player, but in this series, he has played them both combined to a damn near draw. The Pelicans star is just sensational, and he’s the biggest reason behind all the success that New Orleans has had.

How can you not love this team? With Jrue Holiday guarding Kevin Durant while giving up half a foot, and with Nikola Mirotic dominating ever since he shaved his beard, one that his teammates won’t allow him to grow back and that the Pelicans are leaning into with barbers available at Smoothie King Center before Game 3, this team is just everything you could ask for.

This Game 3 might be the Pelicans’ NBA Finals, sure. We all are aware that despite a fun win, even in a 19-point advantage, that the Warriors may still crush them in Game 4 and close things out back at Oracle Arena.

But it’s fun, and we loved it. No matter what happens from here, the Pelicans can now say without question that they’ve won a Game 3 against Golden State. No matter what, that has to be nice.