OAKLAND -- Phase II of the Warriors’ attempt to repeat as NBA champions gets under way Saturday night, when they face the New Orleans Pelicans in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals at Oracle Arena.
Pregame coverage on NBC Sports Bay Area begins at 6 p.m., with postgame coverage immediately after the final horn. The game telecast will be over on TNT.
The No. 2 seed Warriors rolled through the first-round, beating seventh-seeded San Antonio in five games without Stephen Curry, whose status for Game 1 is uncertain.
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The sixth-seeded Pelicans pulled off the quickest shocker this postseason, sweeping No. 3 seed Portland.
BETTING LINE:
Warriors by 9
MATCHUP TO WATCH:
Kevin Durant & Co. vs. Anthony Davis: They won’t always be assigned to each other, but they’ll see plenty of each other. Durant is a tough matchup under any circumstances, but his length practically forces Davis to be a primary defender -- even though Durant is listed as a small forward and Davis as a center. Durant’s 3-point shot gives him the ability to pull his defender out of the paint. If it’s Davis, then that opens up the interior for drives. Davis was a beast against Portland but he’ll find the going tougher in this series against a rotating crew of defenders.
INJURY REPORT:
Warriors: G Stephen Curry (L MCL sprain) is listed as questionable. G Pat McCaw (lumbar spine contusion) is listed as out.
Golden State Warriors
Pelicans: C Alexis Ajinca (R knee injury), C DeMarcus Cousins (L Achilles rupture) and G Frank Jackson (R foot fracture) are listed as out.
GAME OFFICIALS:
Ken Mauer (crew chief), Bill Kennedy, James Williams, Rodney Mott (alternate)
SERIES HISTORY:
The Warriors won three of four meetings in the regular season. The wins: 128-120 on Oct. 20 in New Orleans, 110-95 on Nov. 25 in Oakland and 125-115 on Dec. 4 in New Orleans. The loss: 126-120 on April 7 in Oakland. The Warriors are
THREE THINGS TO WATCH:
EARLY ENERGY: The Pelicans in the regular season played as the fastest pace in the NBA. They’ll try to do the same here against Warriors team coming off a series win over the slug-like the Spurs. Warriors coach Steve Kerr anticipates and early “jolt” and wonders if his team is ready. They will be if energized on the defensive end.
CROSS-MATCH CHESS: Small forwards will guard centers, point guards will defend forwards and it’s conceivable that Draymond Green, over the course of the game, will guard five different Pelicans. Toss away traditional matchups, as both teams like to play small. Such strategy lends itself to multiple cross-match assignments.
THE TWO-WAY WONDERS: Warriors guard Klay Thompson and Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday are among the best two-way players in the league. Each was remarkable in the first round and now they get to duel each other. They won’t always go head-to-head, but they’ll see a lot of each other and surely will make an impact.