The Spurs fell to the Pelicans at home, struggling against New Orleans’ physical play.
SAN ANTONIO — The San Antonio Spurs lost to the New Orleans Pelicans 104-95 at home. Victor Wembanyama led the team with 16 points and 16 rebounds. The Spurs are now 16-6 at home.
Keldon Johnson finished with 15 points and one assist off the bench. Harrison Barnes added five points. Carter Bryant had six points and two rebounds. Julian Champagnie had 13, and Devin Vassell finished with 13 points in his return to the floor. Dylan Harper had five, and Stephon Castle recorded five points and four assists.
The Spurs are 31-15 and will next visit the Rockets on Wednesday night.
Here’s a sample of what the Spurs and Pelicans said after the game.
Mitch Johnson:
“I thought New Orleans did a great job start the game and start the half of being very physical and setting the tone. And we definitely did not match that… we’ve gotten a lot of feedback recently from how teams have played us, and that is definitely going to be it feels like an approach from other teams. New Orleans has been doing that as of late, recently, just as their style of play and their brand of basketball, and it served them well, and so it’s going to be something that we’re going to have to step up in.”
“Just as a team, though, I think we just got to be better. Coming out of halftime, I don’t know what type of run they went on, but I know we were down 19 (points), and we just got to be better. We got to be more physical. We got to rebound if we want to be a team with high aspirations.”
“We knew that’s how New Orleans going to play this game. If you know they were going to win this game, it’s going to be because they were crashing the glass and being more physical. That’s exactly what they did.”
“We can’t be kind of a finesse team, or somebody who’s going to let somebody just get pushed around stuff like that. I’m not saying have a hard foul and hurt nobody, but at the end of the day we got to show that we’re here.”
Keldon Johnson:
“We’re more than capable of being a physical team. We just got off track with things. I feel like we have a tight-knit group. I feel like we’ll come together and fix these things that are necessary for us to continue to grow as a team. I have no worries about that. I feel like each and every person is locked on one through 15.”
Coach James Borrego and the Pelicans’ players.