Spurs vs. Pelicans: Willie Green Finding Ways to Win Without Brandon Ingram

The New Orleans Pelicans can all but eliminate the San Antonio Spurs from the playoffs with a win in the Smoothie King Center. Willie Green’s squad has been on a roll and might get Brandon Ingram back into the rotation. Can Gregg Popovich keep pace in the playoff race?

San Antonio Spurs vs. New Orleans Pelicans

When: March 26, 2022 @ 4:00 pm CT
Where: Smoothie King Center New Orleans, LA
How To Watch/Listen: Bally Sports NO, ESPN 100.3FM New Orleans

Expected Starting Lineups:

New Orleans Pelicans: CJ McCollum, Brandon Ingram, Herb Jones, Jaxson Hayes, Jonas Valanciunas
San Antonio Spurs: Dejounte Murray, Devin Vassell, Josh Richardson, Keldon Johnson, Jakob Poeltl

The New Orleans Pelicans (31-42, 9th Western Conference) welcome Greg Popovich’s San Antonio Spurs to the Smoothie King Center for game with massive playoff implications for both teams. The Spurs are fighting for the tenth and final spot along with the Los Angeles Lakers and Pelicans. New Orleans currently holds the ninth spot and the right to host the play-in game.

The Pelicans can end San Antonio’s hopes of hosting the play-in game with a win. New Orleans would move 3 games ahead of the Spurs and a half-game better than the Lakers. Lebron James and the Lakers will come to New Orleans tomorrow to face the most hyped Smoothie King Center crowd all season.

Just like the game in San Antonio last weekend, this will be a playoff-caliber test. New Orleans won by 33 points without Brandon Ingram. Ingram is listed as questionable but is likely to return this weekend. Ingram has been out of the lineup since March 6 due to a hamstring knock suffered against the Denver Nuggets.

The W/L records do not match the overall team stats. The Spurs scores more points, make a higher percentage of their shots including three-pointers, foul less, dish out more team assists (best in the league actually), swat more blocks, and commit fewer turnovers. Even in categories where the Pelicans lead, San Antonio is close enough in rebounds and steals to negate the huge gap in free-throw percentages.

Green said during the media pregame scrum, “The way we beat them in San Antonio, I’m sure they watched film on it. I’m sure they are going to make some adjustments. We definitely expect San Antonio to come and be locked in for the game. As we mentioned to our team they have something to play for. But so do we. We have to go out and do it (win) again but at an even higher level. That’s going to be the key for the game.”

Keldon Johnson, Lonnie Walker, and Josh Richardson have been playing better and have every right to believe the last game was a fluke. The Spurs are 2-1 in the season series. Every game has been decided by 10+ points. Ingram’s back, CJ McCollum is heating up for the playoffs, and Jonas Valancuinas has found a consistent rhythm in the offense. All signs point to another big New Orleans Pelicans win.

San Antonio Spurs vs. New Orleans Pelicans

Expected Starting Lineups:

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