The season may have started on a high note with two consecutive victories, but as BD Cricket Live entertainment reporters put it, good fortune never lasts long. Storm clouds gathered quickly for the Golden State Warriors. After a narrow loss to the Clippers, their problems escalated when Steph Curry exited with a left fibula sprain late in the game. Further medical evaluation confirmed he would miss several games. To make matters worse, Andrew Wiggins and new recruit De’Anthony Melton were both sidelined with lower back injuries, leaving the Warriors severely short-handed on the perimeter.
Facing the Pelicans, the Warriors were forced to field an untested starting lineup featuring Buddy Hield, Moses Moody, and Brandin Podziemski alongside Draymond Green and rookie Trayce Jackson-Davis. From the opening whistle, the team faced a harsh reality check. The starting trio on the wing lacked size and defensive strength, allowing Brandon Ingram to exploit mismatches at will. The Pelicans ran their offense through Ingram, who quickly found his rhythm and torched the Warriors’ defense with sharp shooting. In fact, he scored the team’s first ten points as the Warriors had no answer for his efficiency. Meanwhile, the Warriors, missing their offensive engine in Curry, struggled to find any rhythm of their own.
According to BD Cricket Live, Buddy Hield had impressed fans early this season with his shooting, but in Curry’s absence, he became the primary defensive target. He missed all four of his first-quarter attempts and struggled mightily under pressure. His defensive lapses were also magnified, with the Pelicans exploiting him on both ends. With Jonathan Kuminga moved to the bench by coach Steve Kerr to balance rotations, the Warriors’ offense nearly ground to a halt. In the final five minutes of the first quarter, the Warriors failed to score a single point, while the Pelicans, led by Zion Williamson, capitalized on Green’s absence to go on a dominant run, building a 20-point lead by the second quarter.
However, what everyone seemed to underestimate was the Warriors’ renewed spirit this season. No longer relying solely on star power, this team operates on grit, hustle, and opportunity. Despite missing three key players, Kerr stuck with a 10-man rotation—a move criticized during the Clippers game for being too egalitarian. But in the face of adversity, that very strategy began to bear fruit. The Warriors’ young bench players ramped up the defensive pressure in the second quarter, sparking transition chances that chipped away at the deficit.
Kevon Looney and Kyle Anderson each recorded two steals, Podziemski added steals and blocks, and even Hield rebounded with two steals of his own. Their relentless defense flipped the momentum, allowing Golden State to storm back and nearly erase the 20-point gap before halftime.
In the second half, Kerr made another bold adjustment, inserting two-way player Lindell Wigginton into the lineup. Wigginton responded immediately with eight quick points to start the third quarter, fueling a Warriors scoring run that flipped the game. Once considered just a preseason standout, Wigginton rose to the occasion, becoming an unlikely hero in a crucial moment.
His spark helped relieve pressure from Hield, who returned to the bench and rediscovered his shooting touch in the fourth quarter, knocking down timely shots to preserve the lead. In the end, the Warriors completed a stunning 20-point comeback win, defying all odds without Curry and with a patchwork rotation. The remarkable turnaround left fans and analysts alike stunned.
BD Cricket Live reporters praised the victory as a true testament to the Warriors’ resilience and evolving team identity. More than just a win, it marked a shift in the Warriors’ mindset—proof that this season’s team may be built differently, with grit and heart leading the charge.