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NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The defending champion Golden State Warriors fell to 0-6 on the road, losing 114-105 to Brandon Ingram and the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins sidelined.
Ingram scored 26 points in his return from a four-game absence because of a concussion and reserve Larry Nance Jr. scored 20 points for the Pelicans, including several fourth-quarter dunks that kept Golden State at bay. CJ McCollum scored 20 points and Zion Williamson added 16 for New Orleans.
Jordan Poole had 20 points and nine assists for the Warriors. Kevon Looney was the only regular starter in uniform for Golden State's second game in two nights at the end of a winless five-game trip.
The Warriors are 3-7 overall. Among Western Conference teams, only Houston (1-8) has more losses.
Curry, Thompson, Green and Wiggins all were scratched after playing the previous night in a loss at Orlando.
The Warriors are not playing Thompson on back-to-back nights because of his anterior cruciate ligament and Achilles tendon injuries in 2019 and 2020. Green is under similar limitations because of a back injury last season. Curry was being rested because of elbow soreness and Wiggins because of a sore left foot.
A starting lineup that instead included Poole and fellow guard Moses Moody, along with forwards Anthony Lamb and Jonathan Kuminga, made the game competitive into the fourth quarter.
Ty Jerome, who scored 18 points, hit a 3 to pull the Warriors within 99-96 before the Pelicans steadily pulled away during the final six minutes.
Trey Murphy III's 3-pointer capped a 7-0 Pelicans spurt that began with Nance's dunk and layup and made it 111-101 with two minutes to go. Ingram, who also had five rebounds, five assists and two blocks, received a standing ovation when he checked out of the game in the final minute.
New Orleans led by as many as 11 in the second quarter when Jose Alvarado intercepted Poole's pass and found Williamson for a breakaway, windmill dunk.
But the Warriors chipped away and trailed 50-49 on James Wiseman's putback dunk.
Nance scored the final four points of the quarter on a finger roll and dunk, putting the Pelicans up 61-54 at halftime.
TIP-INS
Warriors: Kuminga finished with 18 points, while Lamb scored 16 and Moody had 14. ... Went 12 of 32 from 3-point range. ... In addition to the four starters who sat, G/F Andre Iguodala (hip) and G Donte DiVincenzo (hamstring) remained inactive. Iguodala has yet to play this season, while DiVicenzo hasn't played since Oct. 23.
Pelicans: Alvarado and Murphy each scored 10 points and each hit three 3s to help New Orleans go 12 of 29 from long range ... Shot 50.6% overall (41 of 81) and outrebounded Golden State 51-36.
APOLOGETIC KERR
Warriors coach Steve Kerr said he appreciates that fans paid “good money” to see players on his team who sat out with the goal of preserving their long-term health.
“Ultimately the players' health is the No. 1 factor in our team's success and even our fans' satisfaction in the long run,” Kerr said.
He added that while some absences are unpredictable, "it would be wise” for fans to study schedules of teams they want to see and manage expectations when those teams are playing on consecutive nights at the end of a trip, as the Warriors were.
“Especially when you get a team with players who have past injuries like we do, or guys who are advanced age-wise,” Kerr said. “I apologize to any fans out there who were hoping to see those guys."
UP NEXT
Warriors: Host Sacramento on Monday.
Pelicans: Visit Atlanta on Saturday.
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