Pelicans Look To Stay Undefeated Against Southwest Division Foes By Toppling Spurs

What a difference a year makes.

The New Orleans Pelicans were 3-16 heading into their 2021 Thanksgiving Eve matchup with the Washington Wizards. There wasn't much to be thankful for as Pelicans fans were already looking ahead to the NBA Draft.

That night the Pelicans defeated the Wizards 127-102, won three of their next four games, and started their slow climb from the basement of the Western Conference and into the playoffs.

This season the Pelicans approach Thanksgiving sitting fifth in the West, holding a 10-7 record, the franchise's best start since the Hornets opened the 2010-11 season 12-5.

They are also the last remaining team in the Southwest Division without a division loss.

Coming off a 4-2 home stand, the Pelicans look to build on their recent success on the road against the San Antonio Spurs (6-12).

After opening the season 5-2, the Spurs have dropped 10 of their last 11 games and just finished a winless five-game trip through the West Coast where they lost by an average of 23 points per game.

The Spurs' only win this month came at home against the Milwaukee Bucks. However, Milwaukee sat Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday for that won.

After two decades San Antonio is in a full rebuild.

Gregg Popovich doesn't have a lot of experience on his roster, but there is some talent.

Now in his fourth season, Keldon Johnson leads the Spurs in scoring (21.3 ppg) and has 20 points or more in 10 of the 16 games he's appeared in. He's joined by Devin Vassell (20.2 ppg), who has nine 20-point games to his credit in 13 games.

The duo has been prolific from deep, combining for more than six threes per game while shooting almost 42 percent from beyond the arc.

Trey Jones (11.4 ppg, 6.7 apg, 1.4 spg) is a very solid young point guard given the unenviable task of replacing All-Star Dejounte Murray.

San Antonio will be without their fifth-leading scorer, Josh Richardson (10.2 ppg), and floor-stretching big Zach Collins (8.3 ppg).

Center Jakob Poeltl (13.6 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 1.1 bpg) is listed as questionable. If he's unable to go, the Spurs won't have much size or experience in the front court.

Though the Pelicans typically feast on the inside, they have focused on upping their three-point output as of late.

New Orleans made 63 triples over their last four games, more than 15 per game. The Pelicans already have five games with at least 15 three-pointers made after having just six such games all of last season.

CJ McCollum hits his third 3⃣ in a row 👀

He has 14 PTS in Q3 alone on TNT! pic.twitter.com/loPQVQZTCV
— NBA (@NBA) November 16, 2022

In those five games, the Pelicans are 4-1.

San Antonio has been the NBA's worst team at defending the three, allowing teams to make 39.9 percent of their attempts from distance so far.

They've been even worse as of late, with opponents making 14.6 threes per game on 42.9 pct shooting during November.

The Spurs have been turning the ball over at a high rate as well, meaning the Pelicans should have plenty of transition scoring opportunities.

If the Pelicans play to form this should be a win to start a relatively easy five-game stretch before the Pels return to the Smoothie King Center for a four-game home stand.

San Antonio Spurs Leaders:

Scoring: Keldon Johnson - 21.3 ppg

Rebounds: Jakob Poeltl - 9.8 rpg

Assists: Tre Jones - 6.7 apg

Steals: Tre Jones - 1.4 spg

Blocks: Two tied with 1.2 bpg

New Orleans Pelicans (10-7) vs San Antonio Spurs (6-12)

AT&T Center

Time: 7:00 PM CST

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