National Basketball Association playoffs 2018: Warriors’ Stephen Curry will start Game 3 vs. Pelicans

He knocked down a 3-pointer from the left wing 11 seconds later and was off and running in Golden State’s 121-116 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night. Here are five things you should be watching for tonight.

“We want another opportunity to be in that situation”, Gentry said. New Orleans was only 7/9 in free throws while Golden State was 22/27. Both veteran players have demonstrated a proclivity toward engaging in mind games and were nose-to-nose at one point in Game 2. It was bizzare, it was frustrating, and it’s a bit of a black eye on a league where officiating controversies never seem to go away. Only one night – April 25 – featured any games with simultaneous starts, two at 7:00, two at 9:30 – and those late games were in Oklahoma City and Houston, so they were 8:30 starts local time, about as late as you can reasonably start an event on a Wednesday. “I think [the extra three days of rest] probably helped more so in my recovery from postgame…”

Coincidental to the Pelicans’ improvement at home has been the switch they made in the last month – going to the Smoothie King Center for game-day shoot-arounds instead of doing their preps at their training facility in Metairie. I play with my husband and we see who can get the furthest in the game.

Despite the loss, there was some reason for encouragement in the New Orleans camp as it only lost by five points as opposed to 22 points in Game 1.

A tweak, turn or strain to this or that has sidelined or limited players from All-Stars to reserves – and that has influenced the early outcomes of Round 2.

There is some reason for the Pelicans’ optimism of stealing a game. He got the ball from Speights, contorted his body and shot a high-arcing three over the out-stretched hands of Davis and Tyreke Evans, who came crashing down on him. No more E’Twaun Moore or Holiday out of control dribble drives into trafic resulting in low percentage shots or turnovers. This could be a problem for the Cavs when they come in Toronto and play.

4- Can the Pelicans defense do enough to slow down Klay Thompson and/or Steph Curry?

Kevin Durant and Steph Curry are all set to lead Golden State into this game, which tips off at 1am BST on Saturday morning. With Curry back on the floor, Golden State is better than even money to win its third championship in four years.

Then — mouthpiece dangling, of course — Curry finally entered at the 4:20 mark of the first quarter to a roaring ovation from the Oracle Arena crowd and immediately got to work.

Golden State ranks 14th in three pointers allowed per game (29.2) while New Orleans ranks 26th (30.7).