Spurs, Pelicans clash in meeting of teams with wide gap in West
The San Antonio Spurs will be on the hunt for their fifth win in six games and for a season sweep of the visiting New Orleans Pelicans when the teams clash on Sunday night.
All three of the Spurs' win this season over New Orleans have been close, with San Antonio winning 120-116 in overtime on the road on Oct. 24, 126-119 on Nov. 8 at home, and 135-132 back in New Orleans a month later.
The Spurs head home after splitting a two-game road trip in Houston and Salt Lake City, with the latter game a 126-109 win over the Jazz. De'Aaron Fox hit four 3-pointers in the fourth quarter as part of his game-high 31 points in the victory. Victor Wembanyama had 26 points, 14 rebounds, and five blocks, as the teams squared off for the second time in four days.
"(Our) defense picked up there, especially in the latter part of the fourth," San Antonio coach Mitch Johnson said. "So it was a strong finish with not quite as strong up into that. I was happy with how we finished the game."
Keldon Johnson finished with 21 points off the bench, while Stephon Castle recorded 16 points and eight assists. The Spurs have the second-best record in the Western Conference. The Pelicans have the worst.
Johnson lauded Fox for his contributions, especially in late-game scenarios when Fox becomes the Spurs' No. 1 option.
"Big-time players make big-time plays, and you can't deny that he (Fox) has done it," Johnson said. "He continues to do that for us; now we need him the most. And without him tonight, it's a whole different game. He's been phenomenal for us. He's been a leader. He's been a big part of what we do, and the team wouldn't be the same without him."
The Pelicans head to San Antonio after a 133-127 win in Memphis on Friday. Saddiq Bey racked up 19 of his season-high 36 points in the final period for New Orleans, which snapped a three-game losing streak, won on the road for just the fourth time all year and ended a six-game skid against the Grizzlies.
Bey spurred the Pelicans' rally from eight points down entering the fourth quarter, scoring 14 points over a three-minute span to allow New Orleans to turn a three-point deficit into a three-point lead (115-112) with 4:25 remaining. His corner 3-pointer with 58 seconds left put the Pelicans up 128-123, and they were able to hold on for the win.
Trey Murphy III posted 32 points, Zion Williamson amassed 24 points and 11 rebounds, and Jeremiah Fears had 12 points off the bench for the Pelicans in the victory. Herb Jones returned after missing 15 out of the past 16 games with an ankle sprain, as New Orleans was energized by his defensive presence over his 25 minutes of court time.
"That's the blueprint -- the blueprint is what we saw in the fourth quarter, just overall aggression, guard your man, throw down, you know, some great effort from the guys," Pelicans coach James Borrego said. "Our group just decided to guard. You know, there was a physicality about us and energy about us.
"It's going to take multiple efforts. It doesn't come as easy to us as we'd like. We just got to stick with it."