Game Overview

Despite a valiant effort in the fourth quarter, San Antonio fell short due to one of its poorest shooting performances of the year. The Pelicans displayed superior resilience and execution, leading by as much as 20 points before securing the victory on the road. Although San Antonio managed 17 free throws early, they only converted 10 of them, finishing with a 19-for-32 performance from the line. They even missed four consecutive shots in the final moments. New Orleans capitalized on second-chance opportunities, winning more 50/50 balls and grabbing offensive rebounds, which helped them overpower the Spurs with their physicality and defensive pressure.

San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama (16 points, 16 rebounds, and 4 blocks) struggled against the physicality of his Pelicans opponents. However, he received strong contributions off the bench from Devin Vassell (13 points) and Keldon Johnson (15 points).

On the other side, the Pelicans were led by identical statlines from Zion Williamson (24 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists) and Saddiq Bey (24 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists). Trey Murphy III (12 points and 7 assists) and Yves Missi (10 points, 14 rebounds, and 2 blocks) played crucial roles in maintaining New Orleans’ lead throughout the game.

First Quarter Struggles

The first quarter was a rough start for both teams, with New Orleans’ Bey scoring nearly half of his team’s points. Outside of a couple of baskets by Fox, the heavily-favored Spurs couldn’t create any real separation. Guards Dylan Harper and Vassell hit back-to-back transition baskets to bring the score within three points. Rookie players like Murphy III and Fears provided most of the offense for New Orleans. Despite being outplayed for much of the first quarter, San Antonio still held a 28-25 lead at the end of the period.

Second Quarter Turnaround

In the second quarter, San Antonio struggled to find rhythm, with many shots falling short. The Pelicans took advantage of this inefficiency, with Jose Alvarado hitting two three-pointers and Zion Williamson slamming home a dunk. The Spurs tried to regain control but couldn’t maintain flow offensively. Behind Williamson’s dominance and Fears’ bold plays, New Orleans took control of the game. A successful and-1 by Williamson put the Pelicans ahead by nine at halftime.

Third Quarter Dominance

Emboldened by their first-half success, Williamson continued to dominate, particularly against Wembanyama. The Pelicans went on a 16-6 run to take a 19-point lead, forcing San Antonio to rely on their bench for most of the remaining minutes. The Spurs were unable to close the gap, as they failed to knock down key shots.

Observations

• The Pelicans’ broadcast made it seem like there were eight Spurs on the court.
• The 31-14 record brings to mind the 2002-2003 “ahead of their time” campaign.
• While the shot chart hasn’t been analyzed, certain areas, such as the left wing, show Fox’s three-point shot is more reliable.
• There are too many instances where Wembanyama settles for contested threes.
• When did Bey become this consistent?

Key Moments

Late in the first quarter, after what seemed like the fourth missed Pelicans fast break, the sequence was: Fox, Vassell, Fox, then Kornet for a reverse layup deep in the paint.

Crunch Time Sequence #2: Missi was denied at the rim by Wembanyama, then double-dribbled and turned the ball back to the Spurs.

Game Rundown

San Antonio started strongly with an 8-2 run, with Castle picking Queen clean for a transition dunk. Bey scored the first six points for New Orleans. Fox’s second three-point shot put the Spurs up 11-6. Wembanyama drew a second foul on Queen during a dunk-and-1. Bey’s three-point shot brought him to nine points. The Spurs’ reserves launched a 6-0 run. Both teams traded baskets, with New Orleans’ rookie Fears and San Antonio’s Harper impressing with their driving and finishing skills. San Antonio led 28-25 at the end of the first quarter.

In the second quarter, New Orleans began with a 12-5 run. The only thing stopping them was two offensive fouls, including Queen’s third. Barnes hit a corner three, and Champagnie’s free throws (not easy given the Spurs’ 5-for-11 from the line prior to this point) put San Antonio back in the lead. The Pelicans’ clumsy defense and 4 fouls on Karlo Matkovic put the hosts in the foul bonus halfway through, but the Spurs couldn’t find their touch from 15 feet away. Williamson attacked Wembanyama on the dribble-drive, creating several opportunities, and Murphy’s three-point shot gave the Pelicans an eight-point lead. New Orleans caught fire in their halfcourt offense, extending their lead to 56-47.

After a 16-6 run, Coach Mitch Johnson made a hockey substitution, and Carter Bryant hit two threes shortly after. Vassell hit an open three and forced a Pelicans turnover. Despite multiple chances to reduce the deficit, San Antonio still trailed by 14 going into the fourth quarter, with a buzzer-beating Vassell attempt that trickled off the rim after going halfway down.

For more insights from the Pelicans’ perspective, visit The Bird Writes.

San Antonio will head east on I-10 for a chance at regular season redemption against Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night at 8:30 PM CDT on ESPN.