Warriors secure biggest margin of victory this season with 51-point rout
Golden State's 138-87 win over New Orleans marks the largest loss in Pelicans franchise history and the fourth-largest in Warriors history.
By Tomas Rahman ·
The Golden State Warriors defeated the New Orleans Pelicans by 51 points on Monday night, securing a 138-87 victory that stands as the largest margin of victory for any team this season.
The result represents the fourth-largest win in Warriors franchise history. For New Orleans, it marks the largest loss in the team's entire history. The Pelicans fell for the third time in four games, snapping a four-game winning streak.
Stephen Curry led the scoring for Golden State with 25 points in just over 20 minutes of play. He shot 6 for 10 from the field and 4 for 4 from beyond the arc. With this total, Curry moved to 16th place on the NBA's career scoring list with 26,803 points, surpassing DeMar DeRozan.
Yaxel Lendeborg contributed 23 points, seven rebounds, and four assists. Brandin Podziemski added 25 points. Derik Queen provided 16 points off the bench, while De'Anthony Melton scored 16 points and De'Anthony Melton added 12 points and 10 rebounds. The Warriors finished the game with 37 assists, their third straight game with at least 30.
The game was decided early. Golden State led 35-20 after the first quarter as New Orleans shot 7 for 23 from the field and missed 10 of 12 three-point attempts. The Pelicans trailed 72-43 at halftime. Derik Queen scored 16 points for the visitors, and Dejounte Murray added 12.
Injured guard Jimmy Butler, who is recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, sat on the bench dressed in coaching attire. He held a clipboard that read "PASS TO STEPH." Coach Steve Kerr said he had suggested the idea to assistant coach Khalid Robinson just five minutes before tipoff, but neither had informed Butler.
Kerr described the moment as a form of mental telepathy and noted that Butler acted the part by discussing team fouls. However, Kerr admitted he realized Butler was mocking the coaching staff because of the clipboard message. Lendeborg joked that the only lesson from Coach Jimmy was to give the ball to Curry, calling it bad coaching.
New Orleans rested Zion Williamson and Trey Murphy III to manage their health. Williamson sat out after a 139-123 road loss to the Clippers on Sunday, while Murphy III, who scored 26 points in that game, managed a knee issue. The Warriors are now 6-0 in games where they record 30 or more assists. This eight-game winning streak comes after they started the season 0-3, which is the second-longest win streak following such a start in NBA history.
