Zion, Pelicans Overwhelm Spurs in San Antonio
In this story:
Zion Williamson had another dominant 30-point performance as the New Orleans Pelicans defeated the San Antonio Spurs 117-99 on Friday night. San Antonio played without two front-court starters in Jakob Poeltl and Jeremy Sochan.
The Pels were able to take advantage of the mismatch in the paint by outscoring the Spurs 54-48.
Dec 2, 2022; San Antonio, Texas, USA; New Orleans forward Zion Williamson (1) dribbles up court during the first half against the San Antonio Spurs at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports
Zion Williamson's 30 points, 15 rebounds, and eight assists were all game-highs and his second-straight 30-point outing.
New Orleans trailed 52-49 at the half, thanks partly to the Spurs ending the 1st quarter on an 11-3 run and the 2nd on a 15-2 run. The Pelicans were able to turn up the defensive intensity in the 3rd quarter by holding the Spurs to just 19 points.
They went on a 13-2 run of their own to close the quarter and take a 10-point lead heading into the 4th. It was there that shots finally started to fall from deep for New Orleans.
Through three quarters, the Pelicans were just 6 of 33 from the three-point line. In the 4th quarter, the team got hot and made 6/9 attempts from deep.
Trey Murphy III hit three straight during one stretch, putting the game away. Murphy finished with 17 points in the game on 5/12 three-point attempts. His 17 points broke the streak of consecutive 20-point games at three.
Jonas Valanciunas had another solid game scoring 21 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. It's his second straight double-double game. CJ McCollum played for the first time since Nov. 21, but for the most part, he struggled during the game. Signs of rust were present as he shot just 2 of 11 and scored just 5 points. Devin Vassell led the Spurs with 25 points and four rebounds.
Aside from points in the paint, New Orleans dominated at the free-throw line. They made 25/26 free throws and were a +13 from the charity stripe. They also committed just nine turnovers in the game and dished out 25 assists. The ball was moving, and the team took good care of the basketball the entire night.
The win for the Pelicans makes 8 of the last 10 to improve their record to 14-8 on the season. Also, they have beaten the Spurs twice in San Antonio this season which is the first time in franchise history.
Next up, the Pelicans will kick off a four-game home stand by welcoming two-time MVP Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets to Smoothie King Center at 2:30 PM CT on Sunday, Dec. 4.
Read More Pelicans News:
- Pelicans-Spurs Preview
- Trey Murphy Making All-Star Leap
- Zion Williamson's 100-Game Report Card Has a Big Surprise
- Dyson Daniels Playing Through No-Calls In The Clutch
- Anthony Davis Adds Pelicans Tribute To Christmas Wish List
- Holiday Schedule Set Up For Pelicans To Feast
- Three-Point Threats From Brandon Ingram Prove Lethal
- Zion Williamson, Pelicans Go 'Prehistoric' To Defeat Raptors
- Video: Globetrotter Nate 'Big Easy' Lofton Explains Pelicans Impact On Local Hoops Community
