New Orleans Pelicans vs. San Antonio Spurs: Previous Matchups
Previous Matchups
There was only one game played between the teams this season, it was one we’ll all remember.
Game 1 – 1/22/20, New Orleans 117 – San Antonio 121
For months we waited and waited for this game, although we weren’t sure when this event would actually take place. The debut of Zion Williamson lived up to the hype and lit a match under the franchise.
The game started out shaky as the New Orleans Pelicans tried to force the offense through Zion in an effort to get him settled down in his first NBA game.
His first career basket didn’t come until early in the second quarter, but this bucket had a little bit of everything; an offensive rebound when he was outnumbered and a layup in traffic, two staples of Zion’s offensive game.
We even got a lagniappe from this game, Zion sank all four of his three-point attempts in the fourth quarter. That scoring barrage fueled a strong fourth-quarter run that saw the Pelicans turn a 12 point deficit into a two-point lead. They would ultimately go on the lose the game but the energy from that run was palpable.
Zion’s first game was very good, but it wasn’t enough to hold off the Spurs, who were powered by Aldridge’s 32 point, 14 rebound game. Aldridge’s play in the paint showed one of the flaws of this Pelicans team when Favors is not on the floor (although the seeding games may have changed how we feel about him). There is a clear opportunity for teams to attack the basket.
Couple that interior presence with a super-efficient scoring night (the Spurs shot 50.6% from the field) and you have a very strong base to build up a lead and hold off any big run that opponents may start.
The good news is that without Aldridge for this next game the Pelicans won’t have to worry as much about opponents’ points in the paint.
But they will have to worry about the guards.