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Warriors Hold Serve at Home, Take 2-0 Series Lead

Established 1946 | 7-time NBA Champions

Klay Thompson had 14 fourth quarter points and the Warriors rallied late in a 97-87 win over the Pelicans.

GAME LEADERS

Klay Thompson had 14 fourth quarter points and the Warriors rallied late in Monday’s 97-87 win over the Pelicans at Oracle Arena. By holding serve at home, the Dubs take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series, which resumes Thursday night In New Orleans.

Thompson broke a 71-71 tie on the Warriors’ first possession of the final quarter, grabbing an offensive rebound before throwing down a one-handed slam. That bucket gave the Warriors a lead they would never give up, but that doesn’t begin to tell the story. On three separate occasions in the fourth period, the Warriors’ shooting guard connected on a basket after the Pelicans had come within one or two points. Over one stretch, Thompson, who paced the Warriors with 26 points on 11-for-17 shooting, scored seven straight Warriors points in the fourth quarter, and he later had five more during a late 9-0 run that put the game away.

As good as Thompson was down the stretch, the Warriors would not have been position to win if not for the play of their defense. New Orleans shot 37.8 percent for the game and tallied 35 points in the second half. Draymond Green and Andrew Bogut anchored the load defensively. Bogut pulled down a team-high 14 rebounds, and Draymond Green was largely responsible for Anthony Davis going 9-for-22 from the field. Green finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds for his sixth career postseason double-double.