Game Day Preview: New Orleans Pelicans vs San Antonio Spurs
By Joshua Lea
The New Orleans Pelicans are streaking as of late, winners of their last six games. Tonight, they’ll look to extend their streak and continue climbing the Western Conference ladder.
The New Orleans Pelicans are 34-26 on the season, they currently hold the Western Conference’s sixth seed after the Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Sacramento Kings last night. The Pelicans remain a half game behind the Blazers and have a tie-breaker with the Oklahoma City Thunder who are in seventh place.
Tonight, the New Orleans Pelicans face the San Antonio Spurs in the second of four meetings this season. The Pelicans won the first meeting 107-90 on November 25th, behind Anthony Davis who poured in 29 points on 11-of-17 shooting.
The Spurs are coming off a much-needed victory in Cleveland on Sunday 110-94. However, prior to that win, the Spurs were 0-4.
The Spurs will be without Kawhi Leonard who has been the subject of trade and free agent conversation around the league. There has been numerous reports and rumors that Leonard is unhappy in San Antonio in part with his lingering injury. Although, Leonard is now eyeing a March return to the Spurs lineup. Leonard has played in nine games this season.
The San Antonio machine features LaMarcus Aldridge who is pacing the Spurs in points at just over 22 a game. Former Laker great Pau Gasol is thriving in his second season with 10 points, and eight rebounds a game. The Spurs are never without their role players such as Danny Green and Patty Mills.
San Antonio is coming off their annual “rodeo road trip”. They’ve played their last six games away from Texas. Now, on their first game back home at the AT&T Center, they’ll try to contain Anthony Davis.
The Spurs lead the Pelicans in their all-time match-up games 42-15
Davis and the Pelicans have been closing out tough games and winning despite the lack of faith from national media. Sure, those of us who watch closely see what Davis is doing, but, it’s taken a month of insane numbers and a six-game winning streak for others to pay attention.
Nevertheless, the Pelicans must look at this as a must-win game. Playoff implications apply to this game and other games around the association. New Orleans could have a 2-0 season series lead on the Spurs.
San Antonio likes to space the floor, swing the ball, and look for wide open shots. They are one of the most efficient teams in the NBA and have been for the past two decades. The well-oiled machine is coached by the great Greg Popovich who will surely be in the Hall-Of-Fame.
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The margin for error against the savvy Spurs is slim. So slim, that ESPN’s matchup predictor gives the Spurs a 73.1% chance of winning tonight’s game. If you’re a betting man (or woman) the line on tonight’s game is San Antonio minus 4.5.
However, Davis could have a field day in the post if the Spurs defense isn’t ready. This game is sure to be a fun one, not to mention a potential playoff matchup between these two division foes. Also, Skip Bayless is a massive Spurs fan, so a win in San Antonio would be that much better.
Other Western Conference Teams in action tonight
The seventh-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder are also in action tonight on the road to face the Dallas Mavericks. The Thunder have lost their last two games to Dallas this season. If Dallas beats OKC and the Pelicans beat San Antonio it would provide some breathing room temporarily for New Orleans.
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Houston is also in action tonight facing the Los Angeles Clippers who are coming off a win last night in Denver, giving them the eighth spot in the West.