Pelicans-Warriors Preview

By TAYLOR BECHTOLD

(AP) -- The Golden State Warriors are confident in their depth as they pursue the NBA's top record without Klay Thompson.

The New Orleans Pelicans will likely feel better about their postseason chances once Anthony Davis returns.

In a potential first-round playoff matchup, the Warriors will try to continue their home dominance Friday night with a 10th consecutive victory over the banged-up Pelicans.

After missing Wednesday's clash with Eastern Conference-leading Atlanta, Thompson - averaging a career-high 21.9 points - is expected to miss at least the next two games because of a sprained right ankle.

"I'm looking at the big picture," said Thompson, who ranks second in the league with 199 3-pointers.

Golden State (54-13) is coming off its first win in three games without the All-Star guard, extending its edge over the Hawks to 1 1/2 games in the race for the league's best record with a 114-95 home victory.

Harrison Barnes led the way with 25 points and Andre Iguodala added a season-high 21. Draymond Green scored 18 and hit 5 of 7 from 3-point range to help the Warriors shoot 52.4 percent and go 14 for 30 from beyond the arc.

"What I take away from it is the number of players who made an impact," said coach Steve Kerr, whose club finished with a season-high 39 assists to raise its league-high average to 27.3.

The Warriors have followed up a 19-game winning streak at Oracle Arena with their current 10-game run. They're averaging a league-high 113.5 points per game at home with a 15.3 average margin of victory.

With a big lead in the West, Golden State is likely to play either Oklahoma City or New Orleans (37-31) in the first round of the playoffs. The Pelicans, though, fell one game back of the eighth-place Thunder following Thursday's 74-72 loss at Phoenix.

Davis averaged 29.3 points, 11.3 rebounds and 4.7 blocks over his previous seven games before rolling his left ankle in Thursday's shootaround. It's uncertain whether the star forward will be available against the Warriors.

He's totaled 61 points and 32 boards in his last two meetings, but hasn't beaten Golden State in seven career games. New Orleans had won 10 of 13 overall heading into Thursday before falling to 6-7 without Davis.

Making matters worse, Omer Asik - averaging 10.0 rebounds - could be out after suffering a calf strain in Phoenix.

"At this point, it's going to boil down to who's the healthiest and who can execute down the stretch," guard Eric Gordon said.

The Pelicans will need better play from their backcourt after Gordon and Tyreke Evans went 10 for 32 from the field Thursday. Evans scored a season-high 34 in a 128-122 overtime home loss to Golden State on Dec. 14 while Davis was sidelined.

New Orleans has tightened things up defensively, allowing 94.9 points per game in its past 15. The Pelicans, however, have given up an average of 120.0 points and 21-of-46 shooting from 3-point range in the two matchups with the Warriors.

Stephen Curry had 19 points and 11 assists and Barnes scored 17 with 10 boards in a 112-85 home win Dec. 4. Curry then finished with 34 points and hit six 3-pointers in the overtime victory in New Orleans.

Golden State has outscored the Pelicans by a combined 49-21 in points off turnovers. That could be a factor again with New Orleans playing the second of back-to-back games in this meeting.