It has been the game of all dangers since the 2021/22 season loser was eliminated. And in this context, it was the Pelicans who remained steadfast, at home and carried by a boiling crowd, spurred on by an outstanding duo Ingram – McCollum, too strong on offense for the Spurs.
After an initial 15 minutes of observation for both teams (26-22 for locals), the Pelicans then widened the gap, initially just before halftime (61-50), in the momentum of a massive heat stroke from CJ McCollum (27 points on the break), then wider after the break, following the emergence of Brandon Ingram and Jonas Valanciunas in the third quarter (+19). Overall, the men of Willie Green play a fairly quiet game, in which they are largely in control.
But the Spurs finally wake up: In the fourth quarter, the “Pop” troop makes a furious comeback, stabbing a 16-1 to the Pelicans and the gap goes from +21 to +6 (96-75 to 97 -91)! More fear than harm for the Pelicans, who react after a timeout from Willie Green, via Brandon Ingram, who scores two key shots at medium range to restore the air to his team (101-191).
The Spurs continue to fight, but fail to make “stops” in defense. The gap stays at +10 and the timer runs until the last buzzer. Despite a big scare at the end of the game, the Pelicans won at the end of a game they largely dominated, sending San Antonio, who fell in the first round of “play-in” for the second straight year in a row. holidays.
WHAT TO REMEMBER
– The bankruptcy of the Spurs holders in the first half† If the five San Antonio majors scored half of their Spurs points in the first half (25 points), that’s still less than CJ McCollum…alone! The back of the Pelicans planted 27 points in the first period, most notably a hot shot in the second quarter that allowed a first break to be signed. The Spurs holders then woke up in the second half (70 out of 103 at the end), but given the end result they will regret this delay in the ignition.
– Pelicans vs. clippers† The Wolves qualified in 7th place, with only one ticket left for the playoffs in the West. This 8th place, synonymous with a first-round duel against the Suns, will be decided on Friday in a final game between the Pelicans and the Clippers.
TOPS/FLOPS
CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram, the “one-two punch”. The first kept the Spurs at a safe distance in the first half, the second pushed them back in the second half and especially the fourth quarter to end their furious “run”. As expected, the two players kept the house on the attack, finishing with a total of 59 points (32 for CJ McCollum, 27 for Brandon Ingram). The duo’s attacking talent, especially in the strategic midrange, was too much for Spurs to comprehend.
Jonas Valanciunas† The Lithuanian pivot trampled the Spurs racket and scored an authoritative double-double: 22 points and 14 rebounds. In its wake, the Pelicans have largely dominated the battle for the interiors sector (56 points in the paint for New Orleans, against 38 for San Antonio).
Devin Vasell† The young sophomore winger was Spurs’ most prominent starter. He collected 23 points (7/13 three-pointers), 2 rebounds and 3 assists, and was one of the main instigators of San Antonio’s “run” in the last quarter. Unfortunately, his efforts were in vain, but the former state of Florida certainly gained experience after performing in such a high-stakes game.
Dejounte Murray and Keldon Johnson† The two strongmen of the big five Spurs disappointed: the first certainly finished with 16 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists, but the road was not there (5/19), and the alarm was too late. The second does a little better, with 15 points out of 6/20. Without input from the two mainstays of the five majors, San Antonio trailed in the first half and cashed out at the end of the game, despite a response that left the Pelicans in doubt.
THE FOLLOWING
Second and final round of play-in for New Orleans against the Clippers on the night from Friday to Saturday, at 4 p.m.
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