Warriors eliminate Pelicans to advance to Western Conference Finals

This game was never in doubt no matter how hard the Pelicans continued to push the Warriors in this one. And they did push. For a game that could have been a total blowout in the third quarter, the Pelicans got the lead all the way down to seven points in the final two minutes. But a turnaround jumper from Draymond Green of all things was the shot that put the dagger in New Orleans.

That shot was a metaphor for how this team can beat you. From anywhere with anyone. For the first time in this postseason, these Warriors began to fire on all cylinders. They started their self-proclaimed “Hamptons 5” starting lineup and their stars have begun to shine again. Stephen Curry finished the night with 28 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists. Kevin Durant had 24 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists of his own. While Klay Thompson put in 23 points, 19 of which came in the first half. Draymond Green nearly had another triple-double with 19 points, 14 rebounds, and 9 assists.

That’s how the Warriors beat you. They’re too good at every position and in the end there is nothing you can do to stop it. The Pelicans gave them their best shot, including 34 points and 19 rebounds from Anthony Davis. But when the Warriors start cooking, there isn’t much anyone can do.

A Draymond Green turnaround jumper sealed this game for the Warriors, something I think none of us expected. Golden State wins this one in five games. Up next is the Western Conference Finals.

Golden State has not scored in over six minutes of game play.

The Pelicans are on a 14-2 run but up an incredible effort to try and turn this into a game.

The Warriors? Yeah. Yeah, they’re back.

The Warriors just started the third quarter on a 10-0 run and this feels like it’s about to bust open.

A 14-2 run by the Pelicans got this thing within striking distance. They even had the lead at 51-49 before a Kevin Durant three-pointer. Anthony Davis leads with 18 points an 10 rebounds while Klay Thompson has 19 points, Kevin Durant has 16, and Steph Curry has 13.

A 7-0 run by New Orleans forces Steve Kerr to call a timeout. Anthony Davis has 16 points and nine rebounds so far in this one.

This one is still Klay Thompson’s game.

Steph Curry got a nose bleed. Draymond Green got into the Pelicans huddle. And Klay Thompson has 14 points, one of which was a dunk. Normal quarter? Probably.

The Golden State Warriors will look to close out their series against the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday, as they take a 3-1 lead into the Western Conference semifinal matchup. The game is set for 10:30 p.m. ET on TNT (live streaming online via WatchTNT) from the ORACLE Arena in Oakland.

Other than the third game, which saw Anthony Davis carry the Pelicans to a 119-100 victory with 33 points, 18 rebounds and four steals, the series has been all Golden State. After that Game 3 loss, the Warriors responded with an absolutely dominant performance the last time out, dropping the Pelicans by a 118-92 margin.

The Warriors can advance to their fourth-straight Western Conference finals with a win on Tuesday, and in doing so, would also make it 15 consecutive home playoff wins, an NBA record set by the Chicago Bulls between 1990-91.

If it goes anything like Game 4, Tuesday’s matchup will be a lopsided affair. Steve Kerr’s decision to insert Andre Iguodala into the lineup next to Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Kevin Durant led to a rush of scoring that the Pelicans never recovered from.

New Orleans is hoping some extra rest this week will result in a better performance from their bench and their stars. Davis has averaged 39.3 minutes in the series, with Jrue Holiday just being him at 38.2 minutes.

Below is all you need to know to watch the action on TV and streaming online.

Date: Tuesday, May 8

Location: ORACLE Arena, Oakland, Calif.

Time: 10:30 p.m. ET

TV: TNT

Online Streaming: WatchTNT