The top team in the NBA, the Golden State Warriors, will begin their quest for an NBA title today at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC against the eighth-seeded New Orleans Pelicans. Live stream Game 1 free by clicking this link. Warriors fans can listen to the action on KNBR 680, while Pelicans fans may do the same on WWL 105.3.
This series will pit MVP candidates Stephen Curry of the Warriors, and Anthony Davis of the Pelicans against one another. Both players have wildly different games, but have arguably equal impact on their teams.
Curry is the leader of a historically potent backcourt from beyond the arc. He hit 44 percent from the 3-point line on a whopping eight attempts per game. He averaged 23.9 points and 7.7 assists while also improving his defense. Curry averaged two steals, and was no liability on a club that topped the NBA in both offensive and defensive rating.
Davis' performance may have still been more impressive because of the dropoff in surrounding talent. He averaged a double-double (24.4 points, 10.2 rebounds) and was a terror in the paint. Davis turned back almost three shots a night, and was worth 4.2 defensive win shares. Davis had one of the highest PERs in the NBA at 30.8, and shot better than 53 percent from the floor.
In addition, the Pelicans' main competition for the No. 8 seed was the Oklahoma City Thunder. Both teams finished with the same record, but the Pelicans owned a tiebreaker on the strength of an epic, fadeaway, game-winning 3-pointer that was shocking when it happened, then monumental once the postseason race shaped up.
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