NEW ORLEANS -- — Stephen Curry scored 23 points in his return from a two-game absence and the Golden State Warriors beat the New Orleans Pelicans 111-95 on Friday night.

Coming back from a March 20 pelvic bruise, Curry played 34 minutes and made just 7 of 21 shots, but also hit five 3-pointers.

Jimmy Butler had 18 points and 10 rebounds, and Jonathan Kuminga added 16 points for the Warriors, now 1-2 on what could be a pivotal six-game road trip as they try to earn a top-six seeding in the Western Conference and bypass the play-in.

Bruce Brown scored 18 for injury-depleted New Orleans, which played without four starters including Zion Williamson (lower back).

Yves Missi had 12 points and 10 rebounds, the rookie center's 12th double-double.

The Pelicans led by as many as 12 points in the first quarter. Brandin Podzienski and Curry each hit 3s during an 8-0 Warriors run to open the third, and Golden State maintained the lead for nearly the entire second half.

Takeaways

Warriors: Golden State came out flat and got away with it on a night that a rookie center was the only usual starter available for their opponent. Draymond Green fouled out with 3:15 to go.

Pelicans: New Orleans dropped to 1/3 in the four recent games Williamson had missed. Still, the Pelicans turned in a feisty and competitive performance with a lineup comprised mainly of usual reserves. Elfrid Payton, who has played in just 16 games this season, had 10 assists.

Key moment

Warriors guard Buddy Hield, drafted sixth overall by the Pelicans in 2016, made a 3-pointer while being fouled for a 4-point play that gave Golden State a 100-85 lead with 7:12 left. New Orleans never threatened after that.

Key stat

The Warriors made only one of their first 16 3-point shots before finishing 13 of 55.

Up Next

Both teams play Sunday, when the Warriors visit San Antonio and the Pelicans host Charlotte.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Play By Play

Recent plays and game events

TIME	PLAY
12:00	Draymond Green vs. Yves Missi (Stephen Curry gains possession)	0	0
11:47	Jimmy Butler III misses 26-foot three point jumper	0	0
11:44	Yves Missi defensive rebound	0	0
11:25	Jose Alvarado makes driving layup	2	0
11:13	Stephen Curry misses 23-foot three point jumper	2	0
11:10	Bruce Brown defensive rebound	2	0
10:56	Kelly Olynyk misses driving floating jump shot	2	0
10:54	Stephen Curry defensive rebound	2	0
10:40	Moses Moody misses 6-foot two point shot	2	0
10:38	Bruce Brown defensive rebound	2	0
10:29	Jose Alvarado makes 7-foot driving floating jump shot	4	0
10:20	Moses Moody misses 23-foot three point jumper	4	0
10:18	Jimmy Butler III offensive rebound	4	0
10:15	Jimmy Butler III out of bounds lost ball turnover	4	0
9:56	Bruce Brown makes 23-foot three point jumper (Kelly Olynyk assists)	7	0
9:37	Draymond Green bad pass (Bruce Brown steals)	7	0
9:33	Jose Alvarado misses 27-foot three point shot	7	0
9:30	Brandin Podziemski defensive rebound	7	0
9:25	Jose Alvarado personal foul	7	0
9:18	Jimmy Butler III misses 23-foot three point jumper	7	0
9:16	Yves Missi defensive rebound	7	0
8:56	Jose Alvarado misses driving floating jump shot	7	0
8:54	Brandin Podziemski defensive rebound	7	0
8:47	Moses Moody makes two point shot (Stephen Curry assists)	7	2
8:34	Stephen Curry personal foul	7	2
8:26	Bruce Brown makes 15-foot pullup jump shot (Jose Alvarado assists)	9	2
8:18	Stephen Curry misses 28-foot three point pullup jump shot	9	2
8:15	Jordan Hawkins defensive rebound	9	2
8:10	Bruce Brown makes 26-foot three point shot (Jordan Hawkins assists)	12	2
7:56	Draymond Green misses 23-foot three point jumper	12	2
7:55	Jose Alvarado defensive rebound	12	2
7:49	Jose Alvarado makes two point shot	14	2
7:49	Warriors Full timeout	14	2
7:30	Moses Moody makes 3-foot driving dunk	14	4
7:06	Kelly Olynyk misses 19-foot pullup jump shot	14	4
7:04	Brandin Podziemski defensive rebound	14	4
6:51	Brandin Podziemski makes 3-foot layup (Stephen Curry assists)	14	6
6:31	Jose Alvarado misses 6-foot pullup jump shot	14	6
6:29	Draymond Green defensive rebound	14	6
6:17	Brandin Podziemski misses 23-foot three point jumper	14	6
6:15	Kelly Olynyk defensive rebound	14	6
6:02	Yves Missi misses dunk	14	6
6:01	Yves Missi offensive rebound	14	6
6:00	Draymond Green shooting foul	14	6
6:00	Yves Missi makes free throw 1 of 2	15	6
6:00	Jeremiah Robinson-Earl enters the game for Kelly Olynyk	15	6
6:00	Jonathan Kuminga enters the game for Jimmy Butler III	15	6
6:00	Gui Santos enters the game for Brandin Podziemski	15	6
6:00	Yves Missi makes free throw 2 of 2	16	6
5:45	Gui Santos makes 2-foot layup (Stephen Curry assists)	16	8
5:30	Jeremiah Robinson-Earl misses 23-foot three point jumper	16	8
5:27	Yves Missi offensive rebound	16	8
5:21	Yves Missi bad pass (Stephen Curry steals)	16	8
5:16	Elfrid Payton enters the game for Jose Alvarado	16	8
5:16	Karlo Matkovic enters the game for Yves Missi	16	8
5:16	Buddy Hield enters the game for Moses Moody	16	8
5:16	Quinten Post enters the game for Draymond Green	16	8
5:08	Gui Santos misses 23-foot three point jumper	16	8
5:05	Elfrid Payton defensive rebound	16	8
4:55	Jonathan Kuminga shooting foul	16	8
4:55	Bruce Brown makes free throw 1 of 2	17	8
4:55	Antonio Reeves enters the game for Jordan Hawkins	17	8
4:55	Bruce Brown makes free throw 2 of 2	18	8
4:46	Jonathan Kuminga makes 5-foot layup (Stephen Curry assists)	18	10
4:25	Elfrid Payton misses layup	18	10
4:24	Elfrid Payton offensive rebound	18	10
4:22	Elfrid Payton bad pass (Stephen Curry steals)	18	10
4:16	Jeremiah Robinson-Earl shooting foul	18	10
4:16	Gui Santos misses free throw 1 of 2	18	10
4:16	Warriors offensive team rebound	18	10
4:16	Gui Santos makes free throw 2 of 2	18	11
4:07	Jeremiah Robinson-Earl misses 12-foot pullup jump shot	18	11
4:05	Jonathan Kuminga defensive rebound	18	11
3:58	Quinten Post makes 2-foot dunk (Jonathan Kuminga assists)	18	13
3:46	Jeremiah Robinson-Earl makes 3-foot layup (Elfrid Payton assists)	20	13
3:27	Quinten Post misses 22-foot three point jumper	20	13
3:25	Karlo Matkovic defensive rebound	20	13
3:19	Bruce Brown misses 26-foot three point step back jumpshot	20	13
3:15	Jeremiah Robinson-Earl offensive rebound	20	13
3:14	Jeremiah Robinson-Earl makes two point shot	22	13
3:06	Jonathan Kuminga misses 26-foot three point pullup jump shot	22	13
3:03	Quinten Post offensive rebound	22	13
2:59	Stephen Curry makes 25-foot three point jumper (Quinten Post assists)	22	16
2:48	Antonio Reeves bad pass (Buddy Hield steals)	22	16
2:42	Buddy Hield makes two point shot	22	18
2:42	Pelicans Full timeout	22	18
2:42	Kelly Olynyk enters the game for Bruce Brown	22	18
2:42	Brandin Podziemski enters the game for Gui Santos	22	18
2:42	Jimmy Butler III enters the game for Stephen Curry	22	18
2:26	Jeremiah Robinson-Earl makes 18-foot pullup jump shot (Antonio Reeves assists)	24	18
2:03	Jimmy Butler III bad pass (Karlo Matkovic steals)	24	18
1:57	Jeremiah Robinson-Earl steps out of bounds turnover	24	18
1:41	Buddy Hield misses 27-foot three point jumper	24	18
1:37	Karlo Matkovic defensive rebound	24	18
1:32	Warriors Coach's Challenge	24	18
1:32	(01:32) [Warriors] COACH'S CHALLENGE (CALL OVERTURNED) [Warriors] retain their timeout	24	18
1:32	Kelly Olynyk loose ball foul	24	18
1:32	Karlo Matkovic bad pass	24	18
1:21	Jeremiah Robinson-Earl shooting foul	24	18
1:21	Brandin Podziemski makes free throw 1 of 2	24	19
1:21	Brandin Podziemski misses free throw 2 of 2	24	19
1:20	Kelly Olynyk defensive rebound	24	19
1:10	Elfrid Payton makes 3-foot layup (Karlo Matkovic assists)	26	19
1:01	Quinten Post misses 25-foot three point jumper	26	19
58.1	Elfrid Payton defensive rebound	26	19
50.0	Karlo Matkovic misses 22-foot three point jumper	26	19
47.1	Jonathan Kuminga defensive rebound	26	19
30.1	Brandin Podziemski misses 26-foot three point jumper	26	19
28.1	Jimmy Butler III offensive rebound	26	19
26.2	Jimmy Butler III makes tip shot	26	21
22.1	Karlo Matkovic makes 6-foot alley oop dunk shot (Elfrid Payton assists)	28	21
19.1	Buddy Hield lost ball turnover (Kelly Olynyk steals)	28	21
5.0	Brandin Podziemski personal take foul	28	21
5.0	Jordan Hawkins enters the game for Jeremiah Robinson-Earl	28	21
5.0	Moses Moody enters the game for Buddy Hield	28	21
5.0	Draymond Green enters the game for Quinten Post	28	21
3.0	Elfrid Payton bad pass (Draymond Green steals)	28	21
0.0	(00:00) [Warriors] REF-INITIATED REVIEW (REPLAY SUPPORTS CALL)	28	21
0.0	End of the 1st Quarter	28	21

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Game Information

Time, Location & Referees

Venue

Smoothie King Center

New Orleans, LA

Date & Time

12:00 AM, March 29, 2025

Coverage

GCSEN, Pelicans.com, NBC Sports BA, NBA League Pass

Attendance

18,133

Referees

Pat Fraher, Andy Nagy, J.D. Ralls

2025-26 Pacific Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT	STRK
LA Lakers	35	24	.593	W1
Phoenix	34	26	.567	W1
Golden State	31	29	.517	L1
LA Clippers	27	31	.466	L3
Sacramento	14	47	.230	W1

2025-26 Southwest Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT	STRK
San Antonio	43	16	.729	W11
Houston	37	22	.627	L1
Memphis	22	36	.379	W1
Dallas	21	38	.356	L2
New Orleans	19	42	.311	W4

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Curry scores 23 in his return from injury and the Warriors top the Pelicans 111-95

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