The New Orleans Pelicans pulled off one of their most satisfying wins of the season on February 24, 2026, taking down the Golden State Warriors 113-109 in front of a raucous home crowd. It was a statement game for a team that has spent much of the year searching for identity — and at the center of it all was Zion Williamson, reminding the entire league exactly what he is capable of when he is locked in and healthy.
Zion Puts on a Masterclass
Williamson was unstoppable from the opening tip. The 24-year-old power forward finished as the game’s leading scorer with 26 points, pulling down 6 rebounds and adding 2 steals to cap off a complete two-way effort. Williamson was surgical in the paint, converting 10 of his 20 two-point attempts and racking up 20 of his points in the interior alone — a nightmare matchup that Golden State’s frontcourt simply had no real answer for throughout the night.
What made his performance even more impressive was its consistency. Williamson did not just show up in one quarter and disappear — he was a steady, physical presence from tip to buzzer, making smart decisions, keeping his turnovers low, and finishing through contact with the kind of power that draws inevitable comparisons to the very best in the game. He also drained a three-pointer, a low-percentage shot for him historically, which only added to Golden State’s defensive confusion.
Bey and the Bench Deliver When It Matters
Saddiq Bey was exceptional in his supporting role, finishing with 18 points on 6-of-13 shooting from the field and a perfect 5-of-5 performance from the free throw line. Bey was aggressive attacking the basket when Golden State funneled its attention toward Williamson, creating high-percentage looks and keeping the Pelicans’ offense humming even during stretches when the star forward was resting.
Beyond the starters, the New Orleans bench was a genuine difference-maker. The reserves contributed 45 points in total — an extraordinary output that gave head coach Willie Green the luxury of managing Williamson’s minutes without the offense skipping a beat. Role players stepped into their moments with confidence, and the depth of the Pelicans’ rotation on this particular night was something Golden State simply could not match.
Warriors Struggle Despite Melton’s Best Effort
Golden State was not without its bright spots. De’Anthony Melton was the Warriors‘ most reliable performer, finishing with a team-high 28 points and 4 rebounds in what was ultimately a losing effort. Melton kept Golden State in the game deep into the fourth quarter, but the Warriors’ night was undone by a damaging 21 turnovers — a total that New Orleans converted into 18 points on the other end.
The Warriors shot just 41.2% from the field and generated a measly 4 fast-break points all evening, a sign that New Orleans’ defense was active, engaged, and disruptive. The Pelicans finished with 12 steals and 9 blocks as a team, forcing Golden State into uncomfortable possessions and erratic decision-making down the stretch.
Standings and What Comes Next
The victory lifts New Orleans to 17-42 on the season — a record that still reflects a difficult year, but one that carries a little more hope after a win of this magnitude. For a Pelicans team that has navigated injuries, roster shuffles, and inconsistent stretches all season long, knocking off a legitimate Western Conference playoff contender is the kind of result that builds real confidence heading into the final stretch.
Golden State, on the other hand, falls to 30-28 — a standing that puts their playoff seeding in serious jeopardy with the conference race heating up. The loss laid bare some persistent issues for the Warriors, particularly their turnover problem and the absence of a consistent second scoring option when their primary contributors go cold.
The Pelicans showed on Tuesday night that they are capable of competing with anyone in the West on a given night. And as long as Williamson is healthy, engaged, and playing at this level, New Orleans will remain a dangerous team that no opponent should take lightly.
