While the Warriors and their eight-man rotation competed down to the final buzzer against a New Orleans Pelicans team fighting to keep their playoff hopes alive, the team just did not have it down the stretch as the Dubs fell 108-103.

Things were looking up for the Warriors as they entered the final quarter. Just like the night before, the squad led when they opened the frame, with Andrew “Two-Way Wiggs” Wiggins coming into full effect in the first five minutes. He logged eight points on two 3-pointers and a step-back jumper, a dish to a wide-open splash from the corner by Juan Toscano-Anderson, and capped off by a block on New Orleans’ Naji Marshall.

But the Warriors could not generate more than a nine-point cushion through the fourth quarter, and the Pelicans worked their way back and tied the game with 4:26 left.

From that point on New Orleans guard Lonzo Ball, who the Dubs limited to seven points on 3-of-18 shooting in Monday’s first game of the back-to-back, rattled off 12 points including two splashes to seal the game.

The Warriors had an opportunity to take control in the final 25 seconds though. Down 102-100 and advancing the ball after taking a time out, they sought out their two-time MVP on an inbound pass. Though he had mustered 37 points through a game in which the Pelicans had thrown double-teams and aggressive defense on him, this shot did not find the net.

The Pelicans got control of both the rebound and game from there-on-out.

While Curry finished with his fourth consecutive game of 30-or-more points, doing so on 13-of-31 (41.9 percent) from the field and 8-of-20 (40 percent) on 3-pointers, he struggled late and made just one of his final 12 shots in the game.

Wiggins’ early outburst in the fourth would be the last points he scored Tuesday night, giving him 26 scored the final buzzer on 5-of-10 made from beyond the arc. He added six rebounds and two blocks.

While every Warrior, with the exception of starting center Kevon Looney, finished with one 3-pointer made, giving them 20 total in the game, Curry and Wiggins were the only Dubs to finish with double-digits in scoring.

The Pelicans’ Ball finished with 33 points with a 7-for-13 shooting performance from beyond the arc.

The loss concludes the Warriors’ back-to-back as well as the final road trip of the season in which the team went 2-2.

The playoff stretch now returns home, Dub Nation! The Warriors’ final six games are all in the friendly confines of Chase Center. It all starts on on Thursday when the team hosts the Oklahoma City Thunder (7 p.m., NBCSBA). Get your tickets for these critical games here and read the Fan Safety Guide as you prepare to cheer on the Dubs as they fight for playoff positioning.

<!—

—>

More Notables …

• New Orleans tied the season series with the Warriors, 1-1, with the teams set to meet for a third and final time in San Francisco on May 14.
• The Warriors made and attempted season lows from the free throw line, hitting 5-of-7 from the line.
• The Warriors fell to 5-9 in the second game of back-to-back sets this season.
• The Warriors hit 20 three-pointers (20-of-53 3FG), losing for the first time this season when converting 20 threes (5-1).
• Stephen Curry, who earlier today was named Western Conference Player of the Month for the month of April, finished with 37 points—his 17th time in the last 19 games with at least 30 points and his 34th 30-point performance of the season… Stephen Curry, who hit eight threes in the game, has now hit 307 threes this season, reaching the 300-three mark in a single season for the fourth time in his career… He owns four of the top five single-season three-point marks in NBA history… Curry (2,802 career threes) joined Ray Allen as the only players in NBA history to hit 2,800 career three-pointers.
• Andrew Wiggins tallied his fourth-straight 20-point game with 26 points, his 22nd 20-point effort of the season… Wiggins averaged 24.8 points per game on the four-game road trip… Wiggins has blocked multiple shots in five-straight games, extending a career-best streak.
• Draymond Green grabbed 12 rebounds to go with nine assists and seven points, the sixth time in the last seven games he’s grabbed double-digit rebounds.

Warriors NBA News