Monday's best: Curry, Thompson lift Warriors to 2-0 lead

Best game: Golden State 97, New Orleans 87

Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson showed why the Warriors are the top-seeded team in the West.

Curry and Thompson combined for 48 points as Golden State overcame an early deficit to take a 2-0 lead in the first-round, best-of-7 series with New Orleans on Monday night.

The visiting Pelicans jumped out to a 28-17 lead after one quarter, but the Warriors used a 38-24 second-quarter advantage for a 55-52 lead at the half. Tied at 71 after three, the Warriors opened the fourth with a 10-2 run before the Pelicans crept within one, 83-82, with 6:16 to go.

Thompson then took over, scoring 10 of the Warriors' final 14 points while the defense held the Pelicans to one field goal — and 3 of 4 free throws — down the stretch to put this one away.

There were just two games Monday, but another chance to see Anthony Davis of the Pelicans go up against Curry and Thompson is always worth it. Curry poured in 22 points and Thompson scored a team-high 26, while Davis finished with 26 points and 10 rebounds for the Pelicans.

Oh, and Andrew Bogut added five points and 14 rebounds in the Golden State win.

The Warriors have now won 20 consecutive games at home and are 5-1 against the Pelicans this season. Game 3 is Thursday in New Orleans.

Best stat line: Jimmy Butler, G, Chicago: 31 points (10 of 19), nine rebounds, zero turnovers in 46 minutes. 

A lot of the talk has focused around Derrick Rose making his return to the playoffs and his health, but Butler was the real story. While Rose (15 points, nine assists, seven rebounds) was good, Butler was better. Butler scored 14 points in the fourth quarter, including making 4 of 5 shots and all three of his 3-pointers in the final quarter. 

"Jo, Derrick were telling me to score the ball," Butler told The Associated Press, referring to Joakim Noah and Rose. "Telling me to shoot and not to pass up any shots. I was feeling it a little bit so I just put the ball in the basket."

Honorable mention: Thompson, G, Golden State: 26 points (11 of 17). 

Best visual: Butler, G, Chicago

After a Sunday with Blake Griffin dunks and a full day of games, Monday's dunk by Butler wasn't sensational, but it was one of the highlights of Chicago's Game 2 victory. 

Best at being worst: Giannis Antetokounmpo , F, Milwaukee: six points (2-of-11 shooting).

Rough night for the the Milwaukee forward. Playing 37-plus minutes, he did grab 11 rebounds, but now is just 6-of-24 shooting in the two playoff games against the Bulls.

Best quote: The best speech of the night came from Cincinnati Reds manager Bryan Price and it wasn't even close. However, you're here for basketball, so how bout we go with this one:

"I think Zaza (Pachulia) had a couple of bad plays, not basketball plays" — Pau Gasol, Bulls, via ESPN Chicago after the Bucks' Pachulia got thrown out of Milwaukee's loss in the fourth quarter.

Best first quarter: Eric Gordon, G, New Orleans

Gordon and New Orleans were really good in the opening quarter. Gordon went 4 of 5 and made all three of his 3-pointers and the Pelicans outscored the Warriors 28-17. 

By comparison, the Chicago Bulls had a bad first quarter. The Bulls had 11 points after 12 minutes.

Gordon wound up with 23 points for the Pelicans.

Best moment: John Henson vs. Aaron Brooks

For just a second, it appeared there was some life in the first half of the Bucks-Bulls game in Chicago when Milwaukee center Henson stood over Chicago point guard Brooks in a heavyweight fighter pose. It amounted to next to nothing. But then again this was better than the first quarter that had a total of 27 points. See for yourself.

Then there was this pushing match in the fourth quarter.

Wow, sure got salty out there. Sorta. It was enough for the Bucks' Pachulia to get ejected.

"Be smart," the Bulls' Butler said. "We need every player we have. We don't need any player getting ejected."

Best comeback: Tyreke Evans, G, New Orleans:

Despite an on-court report from TNT saying Evans was not going to play because of a thigh injury he suffered in Game 1, the Pelicans guard started and played 20 minutes in the first half. That's a lot, considering he was supposed to be out. Evans finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds in 40-plus minutes. 

Best comeback, Part II: Omer, Asik, C, New Orleans:

Asik left in the second quarter after suffering a cut to his neck. He required stitches. Asik returned for the second half.

Best comeback to be? Nikola Mirotic, F, Chicago:

Mirotic had to leave in the fourth quarter after colliding with Milwaukee's O.J. Mayo. The Bulls announced it was a strained quad. Mirotic was also involved in a skirmish with Pachulia later in the quarter. No word on his status going into Game 3.

Best thing to look forward to Tuesday: The North

Toronto was the only team of the eight home teams to lose its opener, falling to Washington on Saturday. Now, we get to see what the Raptors, the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference, do in Game 2.

Other things to watch: More LeBron and the Cavs at home against the Celtics and James Harden and the Rockets going for a 2-0 lead against the Mavs in Houston.

Follow Andrew Gilman on Twitter: @andrewgilmanOK