Stephen Curry returns to lead Warriors past Pelicans

Stephen Curry overcame a slow start in his return from injury to score 23 points as the visiting Golden State Warriors defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 111-95 on Friday night.

Curry, who missed two games because of a pelvic contusion, scored just three points in the first quarter. But the Warriors (42-31) gradually took control to snap a two-game skid. Jimmy Butler III added 18 points and 10 rebounds for Golden State, Jonathan Kuminga scored 16 and Quinten Post had 15.

Bruce Brown scored 18 to pace the Pelicans (20-54), while Yves Missi had 12 points and 10 boards. Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and Keion Brooks Jr. scored 11 each for New Orleans, which was outscored 28-13 in the fourth quarter.

Podziemski scored the first five points of the second half to give the Warriors a 55-53 lead. The Pelicans tied the score twice before Butler's layup gave Golden State a 65-60 edge.

The Warriors extended the lead to eight points twice, but New Orleans took a one-point advantage on a 3-pointer by Brooks with 43 seconds left in the third quarter. Kuminga's pull-up jumper with 28.1 seconds to go gave Golden State an 83-82 lead heading into the fourth.

Green made two layups and Podziemski added another as the Warriors scored the first six points of the fourth quarter to increase the lead to seven. Brooks made a free throw for the Pelicans' first points, but Golden State pushed the lead to 11 on Post's 3-pointer as the Warriors finished off a four-game sweep of the season series.

The Pelicans scored the first seven points of the game as Brown and Alvarado combined for 14 points to give New Orleans a 14-2 lead. Moses Moody and Podziemski made consecutive layups, but New Orleans increased the lead to 10 points twice.

Curry made a 3-pointer for his first points to help Golden State get within four before the Pelicans held a 28-21 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Another seven points by Curry keyed a 17-9 surge that gave the Warriors a one-point edge. The lead changed hands five times before New Orleans went into the half on top 53-50.

--Field Level Media