Yesterday at Frost Bank Center, the San Antonio Spurs faced an utter demolition at the hands of the New Orleans Pelicans, who rained down a record-breaking number of three-pointers to seal a 146-110 victory. The win cemented the Pelicans' spot five games above.500, while San Antonio's ongoing struggles were laid bare, their record plummeting to a dismal 4-21.
It wasn't just a case of excellent shooting for the Pelicans; they seemed to effortlessly glide past every defensive setup the Spurs put forward. CJ McCollum led the barrage with six three-pointers, part of his 29-point contribution. The Spurs' head coach Gregg Popovich had no illusions about the evening's competitive level, telling KENS5, "That's what you call an ass-whooping. Pure and simple." Meanwhile, the Pelicans' Brandon Ingram, who scored 26 points, attributed the win to the team's unselfish gameplay and solid defense.
Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs' 7-foot-4 rookie, despite a formidable effort with 17 points and 13 rebounds, couldn't shift the tide for the Spurs. After the game, Wembanyama spoke about the need for energy and defensive effort, pointing out, "If it was indeed a lack of energy, it’s something that’s easy to correct, and we need to do it right away," as reported by KENS5.
Across the court, Pelicans' head coach, Willie Green, acknowledged the strategic necessity of starting the game off with a show of physical presence. Meanwhile, Zion Williamson praised Wembanyama's versatility, telling KENS5, "He's a threat all over the court. He's gonna be a matchup nightmare because he can get his shot off whenever he wants." McCollum echoed the need for collective effort, particularly in beating teams with sub-.500 records to prepare for playoff positioning, according to NBA.com's postgame wrap.
The Pelicans appear to rebound seriously after their In-Season Tournament semifinal loss in Las Vegas, with Naji Marshall citing their strong response and ability "to build on this" after the loss.
