But for now, it’s only one game and they have 81 more to go.
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Pistons’ Kentavious Caldwell-Pope led all scorers with 21 points, Andre Drumond grabbed a game-best 19 rebounds and Detroit opened the season with an encouraging win away from home.
Curry started his seventh straight season opener, joining Jeff Mullins and Chris Mullin as the only players since 1962 to do so. He would finish the first half with 29 points and the game with 40, including five three-pointers. Yet many still want to hand the Cleveland Cavaliers the preseason title, assuming you agree with most National Basketball Association GM’s in a few survey thingamajiggy.
The Warriors had a strong start, as they rallied behind the 24-point eruption of Curry in the first period, but the Pelicans managed to stay with striking distance, 39-35, after the first 12 minutes of the game.
It wasn’t all good news for the Warriors on Tuesday night. Kerr, who attended the past four practices after missing a string of workouts in recent weeks while “resting or seeing doctors”, also planned to see his team at halftime. It’s killing me not to be out there tonight.
In fact, Bogut has appeared in all 82 regular-season games just once, and that was when he was a rookie with the Milwaukee Bucks.
“I’m healthy, and that feels great”, he said.
New Pelicans Coach, Alvin Gentry, took part in the celebration, and received praise from the crowd, as he was one of the Warriors’ Assistant Coaches last season. Then he got the ding.
The Pelicans suited up only nine guys, played without three starters – point guard Jrue Holiday, small forward Tyreke Evans and centre Omer Asik – and endured a 4-for-20 shooting night by star forward Anthony Davis.
“The challenge was set”.
Spears of Yahoo Sports reported Bogut left the game with the lacerated eye and may need stitches.
Pau Gasol blocked LeBron James in the waning seconds and Derrick Rose – despite lingering blurred vision from a facial fracture that has him seeing double – had 18 points and five assists to lead Chicago’s 97-95 win over the defending Eastern Conference champions. Sure the Pelicans were swept, but everyone in the locker room felt it was the beginning of something special; and if anyone was to lead the charge in years to come, who could do a better job than Davis?
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Ish Smith scored 11 points off the bench in his debut with the Pelicans and Kendrick Perkins provided an unexpected offensive spark in paint, scoring eight points in the first quarter.
