San Antonio Spurs Got an 'A**-Whooping' vs. New Orleans Pelicans, Says Gregg Popovich
The San Antonio Spurs may no longer be on an 18-game losing streak, but they returned to the loss column in a 146-110 defeat at the hands of the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday afternoon at the Frost Bank Center.
The Spurs were simply unable to withstand the Pelicans' offense and unable to match a very high output. From start to finish, the game felt out of reach.
Dec 17, 2023; San Antonio, Texas, USA; New Orleans Pelicans CJ McCollum (3) dribbles while defended by San Antonio Spurs guard Tre Jones (33) during the first half at Frost Bank Center.
Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports
"Well, let's see," coach Gregg Popovich said. "That's what you call an a**-whooping. Pure and simple. Drop the mic. Period. Full stop, all that kind of stuff. They had a great night shooting. We couldn't throw it in the ocean."
The Pelicans were led by C.J. McCollum, who scored a game-high 29 points. Brandon Ingram also impressed, adding 25 points of his own. As a team, the Pelicans shot 55.6 percent from the field and 52.4 percent from beyond the 3-point line.
In 17 games, the Spurs have allowed 120 points or more, which has led them towards being ranked 24th in defensive rating.
As important as scoring points is, defense is the key to winning games in the NBA. For teams like the Spurs, who may not have as much offensive firepower compared to others, they need to be able to defend at a high level if they want to compete more often.
The Spurs will have a chance to showcase a better defensive effort on Tuesday night when the team visits Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks, who hold the third-highest offensive rating in the NBA.
