By Eric Jay Santos
On Sunday, the New Orleans Pelicans took a 114-96 victory over the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs were without Victor Wembanyama, who will be out for the remainder of this season.
Seven Pelicans players scored double-digits in points: Zion Willamson, Karlo Matkovic, Trey Murphy III, Kelly Olynyk, Jose Alvarado, CJ McCollum, and Jordan Hawkins. Williamson led the Pelicans with a team-high 22 points, while Matkovic registered a career-high 19 points. Olynyk and Yves Missi combined for 30 rebounds.
Keldon Johnson and Julian Champagnie each contributed 18 points to the Spur’s offense. De’Aaron Fox and Harrison Barnes were other key scorers in San Antonio’s lineup.
With 11 minutes left in a tied game, New Orleans snatched momentum with a dominant 25-5 run. Williamson and Matkovic combined for 22 points in the fourth quarter, with 10 points coming from the free-throw line. Meanwhile, the Spurs went 4-for-21 from the field in the final frame.
New Orleans now holds a 14-43 season record. They are 2-1 in their last three games.