Anthony Davis’ team may not be ready for primetime just yet, but he definitely is.
The Pelicans came up on the short end of a 106-99 score in Game 1 of their first-round series against the Warriors, but Davis was simply brilliant down the stretch. The third-year pro scored a game-high 35 points, including 20 in the fourth quarter, as New Orleans roared back from a 25-point third-quarter deficit.
Anthony Davis' 35 points are tied for the 5th most in a playoff debut over the last 40 years
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) April 18, 2015After a brief lead in the game’s opening minutes, the Pelicans spent most of the game trailing by double digits. They trailed 84-59 with 1:04 remaining in the third quarter.
New Orleans finished the quarter on a 7-0 run, and started the fourth with the same before Stephen Curry's 3-pointer ended the 14-0 stretch.
The Pelicans later cut Golden State’s lead to 102-97 with 20 seconds remaining, but were unable to finish the job. Davis, though, made clear that he won't let his team go down without a fight.
“This was a big test for us,” Curry told ABC after the game. “We really haven’t had many games like this down the stretch."
Curry led the Warriors with 34 points, despite shooting 4 for 13 from 3-point range.