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 "He told me, 'We won 67 (regular-season) games last year, and I
didn't know what I was doing at all,'" Walton said after the
Warriors began their title defense with a 111-95 shellacking of the
New Orleans Pelicans. "His point being: We have many good players.
Trust them."
The most trustworthy on this night was point guard Stephen Curry,
who poured in 40 points in the nationally televised game. He became
the first reigning Most Valuable Player to score 40-plus points in
the opener since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had 41 in 1972.
"I expected to play well," said Curry, whose point total was the
fifth highest ever for a Warrior on opening night. "We had a good
flow, and I got into a rhythm. When you're in a rhythm, you want to
keep attacking."
The evening was a joyous one for the Warriors from start to finish,
as the club received its 2014-15 championship rings in a pregame
ceremony featuring NBA commissioner Adam Silver.
The Warriors picked up right where they left off on a home court on
which they haven't lost a regular-season game since January. Golden
State went 39-2 at Oracle Arena last season.
They did so without Kerr, who attended the ring ceremony but then
headed straight to the locker room, where he rested an ailing back
as he watched the game on television.
He did find time to address Walton before the game and the team at
halftime.
"I heard he was nervous," Curry said of Walton. "Just like a player,
you'll get butterflies before a game. His preparation kicked in, he
was calm, and he made some good calls. I think he'll be great for us
in Coach Kerr's absence."
Curry buried four 3-pointers during a 24-point, first-quarter
explosion, as the Warriors thrilled a crowd that had just taken its
seats following the raising of just the franchise's second banner in
its West Coast history.
The Warriors went on to lead by 10 at halftime and by as many as 20
in the third quarter before coasting home for an easy victory over a
Pelicans team it swept 4-0 in the first round of last year's
playoffs.
New Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry, a 2014-15 Warriors assistant coach,
received a championship ring to a loud ovation before the game, but
then he was relegated to watching his old pals dominate his
injury-depleted club.
"I told the guys, 'We're not going to use injuries as an excuse,'"
Gentry said. "We've got to play hard and compete like crazy, and
then whatever happens from there, we'll deal with that."
The Pelicans suited up only nine guys, played without three starters
-- point guard Jrue Holiday, small forward Tyreke Evans and center
Omer Asik -- and endured a 4-for-20 shooting night by star forward
Anthony Davis.
"The challenge was set. We weren't going to double-team him," Walton
said of the defensive game plan on Davis. "Our guys took that
challenge."
Holiday, who is being brought along slowly as he completes the
rehabilitation from a leg injury, is expected to make his season
debut Wednesday when the Pelicans resurface in Portland.
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New Orleans also lost small forward Dante Cunningham in the third
quarter after he clashed heads with Warriors center Andrew Bogut.
Cunningham never returned to the game because he was being observed
for a possible concussion. Bogut came back briefly with three
stitches above his right eye to complete a 12-point, five-rebound,
five-assist, two-block opener.
Davis, who ranked among the league's leading scorers last season
with a 24.4 average, finished with a team-high 18 points. Backup
point guard Ish Smith added 17.
"I told him we don't worry about that," Gentry said of Davis. "He's
going to take the same amount of shots (Wednesday) night, I
guarantee you. We'll get it all figured out."
The Pelicans shot just 42.2 percent, the Warriors 42.7 percent.
Curry had no such problems with his shooting, connecting on 14 of
26, including five of 12 3-point attempts. He also contributed seven
assists, six rebounds and two steals to the win.
"Stephen Curry is unbelievable," Walton said. "We had a couple of
early lapses, and Stephen carried us."
Warriors backup center Festus Ezeli had 13 points. Power forward
Draymond Green, the primary defender on Davis, totaled 10 to go with
eight rebounds, helping Golden State outrebound New Orleans 56-33.
NOTES: With the Warriors' win, NBA defending champs are 55-14
all-time in their season openers. ... Asked before the game if he
thought he would be back on the bench before Jan. 1, Warriors coach
Steve Kerr chuckled and responded, "I sure hope so." He did go on to
say there is no timetable for his return. ... Warriors GM Bob Myers
announced before the game that negotiations on a contract extension
for SF Harrison Barnes will be tabled until the end of the season.
Barnes, who stands to become a restricted free agent, reportedly was
offered a four-year, $64 million extension. ... Pelicans coach Alvin
Gentry announced before the game that PG Jrue Holiday not only will
not go in back-to-backs early in the season but also will be limited
to 20 minutes in games he plays.
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