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San Antonio started their four home games with an encouraging victory despite lacking hands from a range of key players. The Spurs overcame an early deficit and knocked out the Pelicans with various players asserting themselves throughout the game to secure the victory. The San Antonio bench helped the team’s cause with a 34-20 advantage.
Spurs’ DeMar DeRozan (32 points, 11 assists, 2 steals), Dejounte Murray (17 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals) led a balanced scoresheet for the winners. The New Orleans tandem of Brandon Ingram (29 points and 5 assists) and Zion Williamson (23 points and 14 rebounds) paced the visitors who held a 53-38 rebound advantage.
Observations
- In Keldon Johnson’s absence, Trey Lyles, in this rare departure, drew the unenviable mission of trying to slow Zion Williamson down. Lyles had two impressive rim workouts in the second half that ended with hard-earned baskets and did the job of yeoman on the boards.
- Sean Elliott called out Jakob Poeltl and Pelicans center Steven Adams “two centers that like the shot»And recalling their shooting preferences in the« 1950s »
- With how long Steven Adams wreaked havoc on the San Antonio frontlines, it’s hard to believe he’s only 27.
- Diskette reading: Although a bit slow in development, a Poeltl transfer resulted in a nice Lonnie Walker IV float at the start of the opening stanza.
- Sequence of play: Dejounte Murray connected well on wing three, snatched the ball from Williamson on the other end and found a Walker IV lagging behind for a transition layup.
- Sequence of the game – Part 2: Murray swept the ball from an involuntary Nickeil Alexander-Walker and rounded it down for a dynamic and-1.
- Williamson’s shooting board, where most of the markings are around the edge, looks like a toddler’s projectile vomit. His ability to beat other players on the rebound on his second jump is unmatched and must represent at least 1⁄4 of its points.
- Luka Samanic bought up some game time in the first half and forced a roll over Williamson at the baseline and almost converted a point dunk that would have knocked the fans cutouts out of their seats.
- In LaMarcus Aldridge’s first action after hip rehabilitation, he slammed his first three outside shots, but stabilized in the paint and free throw line and found more stable at distance in the second half.
- Murray’s world class ability to finish in traffic is wonderful to see and a boon to our late options.
- HEB / Spurs Ads: “Does anyone else smell the burnt fur? Delivered by Patty Mills is still one of the most memorable lines in Spurs business history – but well behind “Your hand man!” by Manu Ginobili! It’s like you’re part of the bear! joke to his former teammate.
- New Orleans’ Brandon Ingram quickly knocked out his Spurs All-Star – edging them 13-9 in the opening minutes. The Spurs greats racked up a handful of fouls while Murray and DeRozan were the only Spurs to have enjoyed success on the pitch. Patty Mills’ hot shoot helped keep things close. and pelicans not named Ingram or Ball struggled to score. Despite the initial deficit, San Antonio came out of the first quarter 33-32.
- The two teams traded buckets at will to start the second period. Walker IV and Mills third third respectively helped San Antonio gain the advantage. Willy Hernangomez and Williamson have swarmed the offensive boards to monstrous success for New Orleans. A Murray wing jumper gave Spurs their biggest lead briefly at six. Poeltl was charged with a questionable third foul as he made a pick on an Oscar-worthy Eric Bledsoe flop late in the game. DeRozan’s play gave his team more cushioning and Spurs had a 23-11 advantage off the bench to a 67-61 lead at the break.
- Adams and Williamson continued to feast on paint and offensive boards and the Spurs’ lead quickly wore off. DeRozan attacked New Orleans on the other end to increase the margin. A Top 10-worthy bounce pass from DeRozan to Walker IV for a highlight jam went 80-72 at the halfway point. Mills’ fourth 3-point pointer gave San Antonio their first double-digit lead and he entered the final phase with a 93-83 lead.
- San Antonio couldn’t connect on several open shots and a technical foul on coach Stan Van Gundy and the Pelicans capitalized with a 5-0 run. Williamson, determined to foul the Spurs frontline and bring his opponents to the penalty spot, attacked the rim early and often. A Kobe-like fadeaway by Ingram reduced Spurs’ deficit to three. DeRozan and Bledsoe entered an “anything you do, I can do better” contest and equaled each other. After Williamson missed two critical free throws, Poeltl was called up for another questionable loose ball foul – his fifth – on the much more burlier Adams. Williamson caught Aldridge’s fifth foul soon after.
- In the final minutes, New Orleans lost a coach’s challenge over a blocking foul from Ingram. After Aldridge’s two free throws, Williamson converted two of his own. DeRozan converted a high ‘Manu-Splitter’ pick and roll and found Poeltl for the dunk. Lyles caught what appeared to be the first defensive rebound for San Antonio after an Adams failure. Williamson did a twisty layup. After a failed Lonzo Ball in transition, Murray ensured the rebound and converted 1 of 2 from the line. Murray then escaped the Pelicans defensemen after a rebound, found Mills on the sideline and gave it to DeRozan for the decisive dunk.
For Pelican fans’ perspective, visit The bird writes.
Spurs take over Kyried Irving and James harden and the brooklyn nets Monday evening at 7:30 p.m. CT.
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