Getty Kevon Looney #5 of the Golden State Warriors is fouled by Zion Williamson #1 of the New Orleans Pelicans.
The Golden State Warriors held Zion Williamson to under 20 points and less than 50% shooting for the first time this season.
With Williamson bottled up and Stephen Curry letting it fly, the Warriors raced to a 130-102 rout last October 30.
“They played more physical than us and played faster than us,” Williamson said via NBA.com after the game. “I mean, championship culture and for them to do that to us on a second night of a back-to-back [schedule], that’s respect.”
Williamson averaged 23 points on 55% shooting in the Pelicans’ first two games. But he rammed into the Warriors’ defensive wall as the Pelicans tasted their first loss of the season.
In just his second game since his return from an ankle injury, Draymond Green limited Williamson to a 2-of-8 shooting. The Pelicans star shot 5-of-7 when Green was not his defender.
Williamson was minus-17 despite scattering 19 points, five rebounds and three assists. He had five turnovers and committed five fouls.
In contrast, Curry’s star went supernova, dropping 42 points on seven 3s which drew collective “oooohs” from the Pelicans fans.
The Warriors will eye their fourth straight win against the De’Aaron Fox-less Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night at home.
Fox was ruled out with an ankle injury.
Even with Fox around and Green absent, the Warriors beat the Kings 122-114 for their first win last October 27.
Warriors Rookie Credits Chris Paul’s Leadership
Aside from Curry’s scoring explosion, Trayce Jackson-Davis‘ monster game off the bench delighted the Warriors fanbase.
The second-round pick nearly had a double-double — 13 points, nine rebounds and four blocks — all career-highs. He credited Chris Paul for instilling confidence in him, much like what Paul did to Deandre Ayton in Phoenix during their Finals run in 2021.
“I was trying to let the game come to me,” Jackson-Davis told reporters after the Warriors’ third straight win. “And that’s what I did. CP3 (Paul) got me on that first roll and then just building confidence and when he’s passing you the ball, that instills a lot of confidence in you to make plays. As the game went on, [I was] just trying to see the flow, attacking when you’re supposed to attack and pass it up to shooters when you’re supposed to do that.”
The rookie’s first NBA points came off a pick-and-roll with Paul.
With the Warriors trailing by two, 25-23, Jackson-Davis set up a screen for Paul. The 38-year-old veteran guard, a master of pick and roll, used the screen and then found the rookie on the short roll to the basket.
The Chris Paul Effect
The Warriors’ bench, led by Paul’s 13 points, six rebounds and five assists, alongside Jackson-Davis, outscored their Pelicans’ second unit, 52-33.
Since Paul became the Warriors’ Sixth Man, their bench had been plus-40 through two games.