Tonight was a difficult game for the Golden State Warriors, who ultimately pulled out the win against the lowly New Orleans Pelicans, 104-96. They notably did so without Stephen Curry, who is set to miss at least a week following a quadriceps contusion he suffered against the Houston Rockets earlier this week.

The Warriors dragged themselves through a defensive dogfight, surviving a brutal shooting night: 38-93 from the field, including 16-48 in the first half. Their rhythm completely disappeared, with every possession turning into a grind. Still, for keen-eyed viewers, tonight’s struggle hinted at the blueprint they’ve devised to operate in Curry’s absence.

“Once we started everybody else moving around him [Jimmy Butler], it opened gaps, and he was able to do what he did,” Draymond Gre

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