OAKLAND – New Orleans was the NBA’s fourth-best defensive team from Feb. 10 through the end of the regular season, a major reason why the Pelicans went 20-8 during that two-month span. Unfortunately, if you watched that defense perform in Game 1 at Golden State, few things went according to plan. Some of the credit for that must go to the Warriors’ excellence on offense, but the Pelicans also made a series of first-half mistakes that contributed greatly to the problem. Golden State piled up 76 points prior to intermission, including a 42-point second quarter that completely changed the game.
Pelicans shootaround update presented by HUB International: New Orleans seeks major improvement at defensive end in Game 2
