Warriors ignite with Payton’s paint dominance, Butler’s brilliance seals crucial win over Pelicans
The Golden State Warriors (11-10) secured a vital victory over the New Orleans Pelicans (3-17) with a strong fourth-quarter push, ultimately winning 104-96 at Chase Center on Saturday. Leading the charge for the Warriors was Jimmy Butler, who poured in 24 points. Meanwhile, Zion Williamson of the Pelicans topped all scorers with 25 points. Here are three key takeaways from a much-needed win for Golden State.
Warriors Discover Painting Scoring Solution
For some time now, the Warriors have struggled to generate points in the paint, ranking among the league’s bottom two teams in this crucial area. Notably, only three players on the roster average more than 4.1 points per game in the paint, a figure that ties them for the fewest in the NBA.
In recent games, the Warriors have leaned more heavily on Gary Payton II, a strategic move that seems to be paying dividends. In Saturday’s matchup, Payton delivered an impressive performance with 19 points and 11 rebounds, showcasing his ability to score effectively in the paint—eight of his nine field goals came from close range. The reliance on a 6’2″ guard for consistent paint scoring speaks volumes about the team’s current roster challenges. Until the Warriors can find another interior scorer through trade, Payton is poised to play a significant role.
Butler and Defense Create Winning Formula
Jimmy Butler’s impact was undeniable during his 37 minutes on the floor, where he recorded 24 points, 10 assists, and eight rebounds, finishing with a game-high plus-22. However, the Warriors struggled in the minutes Butler was off the court, losing that stretch by 14 points. Finding a way to remain competitive during those crucial minutes will be essential moving forward.
Defensively, the Warriors showed promise, holding the Pelicans to just 37 percent shooting while committing only nine turnovers. Despite facing a size disadvantage, they managed to stay close in rebounding, finishing the night at 50 boards to New Orleans’ 47. Although it may be premature to predict an upset against the Thunder on Tuesday, this defensive-minded strategy could allow the Warriors to snag a win against more offensively potent teams like Philadelphia, Cleveland, or Chicago, especially if they can improve on their three-point shooting performance.
Melton Poised to Take Hield’s Minutes
As the Warriors gear up for their upcoming road trip, the potential return of De’Anthony Melton looms large. The team has announced that Melton could be back in action for the trip beginning Thursday in Philadelphia. His return would allow him to take over Buddy Hield’s minutes, who has struggled significantly in recent outings.
During Saturday’s game, Hield managed just three points on 3-of-9 shooting, finishing with a minus-14 rating in 17 minutes. His performance against Houston earlier in the week was similarly disappointing, as he went scoreless in 15 minutes. The brief glimpse of hope when Hield scored 20 points against the Jazz appears to have faded. Given the narrow margins of victory in the league, it would be wise for the Warriors to give more playing time to Melton, who can provide the team with a more reliable scoring option at the two-guard position.
