The Zion Williamson experience leads Pelicans to comeback win vs. Warriors, 115-101

Zion Williamson lived up to the hype against the Golden State Warriors, tallying 28 points and seven rebounds in his first game at Chase Center.

As the New Orleans Pelicans push towards a late playoff run, the Golden State Warriors were next in line trying to play spoiler.

The Warriors have struggled out of the gate throughout the season. Yet, against the Pelicans, the Dubs jumped out to an early lead. Damion Lee scored 15 of his Golden State game-high 22 points in the opening period on six of eight shooting from the field. Lee was able to knock down four three-pointers early, giving Golden State a 33-29 lead in the first quarter.

The Warriors went into the locker room with a 56-46 edge at halftime. However, when the second half started, the Pelicans took over.

The Warriors were without not only Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, as both Marquese Chriss and Draymond Green were ruled out due to injury, and the Pelicans took advantage.

Jrue Holiday exposed the Warriors’ young rotation, slowing down and controlling the game in the second half. Holiday finished the game with a near triple-double, tallying 23 points, 15 assists and seven rebounds. The UCLA product added 21 of his points along with 12 assists in the second half.

The Pelicans sealed their second-half comeback win, 115-101 with Holiday’s veteran play and the impact of Zion Williamson.

The Zion Williamson experience

The 2019 top pick made his Chase Center debut and did not disappoint. The Duke product registered a game-high 28 points on 13-of-20 shooting, with seven rebounds and two assists. Williamson slammed down one of his signature dunks in a fast break against Golden State.

The case for JTA

Down the final stretch of the season, who steps up from the back end of Golden State’s rotation, will be a critical factor in the future. The Warriors will need to find some in-house options for their roster next year with several expensive contracts already on the books.

Juan Toscano-Anderson made a case for a future roster spot with his performance against the Pelicans. Toscano-Anderson brought energy off the bench, scoring a career-high 16 points with eight rebounds and three assists in 28 minutes.

The debut of Dragan

Only hours after signing a 10-day contract, Dragan Bender made his Golden State Warriors debut against the Pelicans. The former lottery pick played 20 minutes and knocked down two 3-pointers.

Bender was active with his opportunity, punching numbers up and down the box score. The 22-year-old registered five rebounds, three assists and a block on Williamson. Bender will have three games left on his 10-day contract to prove to Golden State he belongs.