Warriors beat Pelicans in backup-filled finale

Resting most of its key players, the New Orleans Pelicans were undermanned against a Golden State team playing for the third seed in the Western Conference.

The Warriors were not going to let the opportunity get away, handling New Orleans 128-107 at Smoothie King Center Sunday night.

Golden State shot 60.5 percent from the field, including 57.6 percent from 3-point range and 84.6 percent from the free throw line. They simply could not miss and the Pelicans had no chance.

Naji Marshall got a start and led New Orleans with 19 points. Gary Clark got rare playing time and scored 17 points.

The only two starters to start and play were CJ McCollum and Jaxson Hayes.

Willie Green saw enough to pull McCollum after six minutes to ensure he would be healthy for the Wednesday play-in game with the Spurs.

Hayes played just 16 minutes.

Jose Alvarado scored 12 points and Jared Harper scored 10 points.

Trey Murphy gave Willie Green and fans a scare when he limped off in the first half but he returned to play in the second half. Murphy finished with 15 points.

The game was an afterthought.

It was all about getting banged-up players (Brandon Ingram, Jonas Valanciunas, Herb Jones) rest and having them ready for the play-in game.

It is good to see Klay Thompson playing at a very high level again.

Thompson had his third consecutive game of 30 points or more, pumping in 41 points Sunday night after missing more than two seasons.

With Steph Curry set to return for the playoffs and with Draymond Green back on the floor, the Warriors are a dark horse threat in the Western Conference, though Phoenix and Memphis are the clear favorites.

The Pelicans are not a threat in the West yet but they are a threat to win a game and possibly two which would place them in the playoffs and not in the lottery.

The matchup with San Antonio appears even. The experience edge goes to Gregg Popovich, at least from a coaching perspective, but the game will be in New Orleans.

A matchup with Minnesota could be a favorable one as well.

The Timberwolves are elite offensively, not defensively.

That game would be a shootout.

The Clippers are a bad matchup but the assumption is that they will beat Minnesota.

Regardless of what happens, the result will be positive.

If the Pelicans lose to San Antonio, they are in the lottery.

If the Pelicans win a game and then lose, they are still in the lottery.

If they win two games, they are in the playoffs, facing the Suns, showing great progress and gaining valuable experience and momentum moving forward.