Warriors 134, Pelicans 120
NEW ORLEANS -- Stephen Curry scored 53 points and the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors won their third consecutive game to open the season, defeating the New Orleans Pelicans 134-120 on Saturday night.
It was the third consecutive double-digit loss for the Pelicans, who were playing their home opener at Smoothie King Arena.
Curry scored 28 points in the third quarter, helping the Warriors turn a 65-64 halftime deficit into a 105-91 lead.
The Pelicans had no answer for Curry, who was 10 of 13 from the field in the quarter and made five 3-pointers. He even added a rare four-point play that gave Golden State a 105-89 lead.
Draymond Green scored 21 points, Klay Thompson 19 and Harrison Barnes 11 for Golden State.
Anthony Davis rebounded from a sluggish start to lead the Pelicans with 26 points and 15 rebounds. Jrue Holiday scored 22 points, Ryan Anderson 19 and Toney Douglas 17 for New Orleans.
Second-chance points and Golden State's spotty free-throw shooting staked the Pelicans to a 65-64 halftime lead, representing their first lead after any quarter this season.
Behind an 11-2 advantage in offensive rebounds, the Pelicans outscored the Warriors 11-1 in second-chance points.
Golden State converted 17 of 26 free throws but excelled from beyond the 3-pint arc, making 7 of 14.
Curry and Thompson combined for 31 first-half points, shooting a combined 9 of 15. Thompson scored 16 points and Curry 15.
Holiday had 13 points in the first half, including 11 in the first quarter, for the Pelicans.
New Orleans outscored Golden State 13-7 during the final 3:35 to take its first halftime lead in three games.
The Pelicans trailed 57-52 before closing on an 8-3 run, with Holiday scoring the last eight points of the half. His three-point play with 2:30 remaining tied the score at 60 and a driving layup with 1:11 left gave New Orleans a 62-60 lead. He added a 3-pointer that boosted the margin three at 65-62.
NOTES: Old habits appear hard to break for the Pelicans. Injuries have plagued the team in the recent past and before the Warriors game on Saturday, five players were listed on the injury list, including F Quincy Pondexter and Gs Norris Cole and Tyreke Evans. ... In the first two games Pelicans opponents averaged 41 points in the first quarter. ... According to interim coach Luke Walton, the Warriors were playing with house money. He said the goal entering the week was to win two of three and Golden State, with a victory at Houston on Friday night, swept its first two games. ... Stephen Curry's 65 points through the first two games are the most by a Warrior to start a season since Latrell Sprewell in 1997-98.