Mar 14, 2025; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Citadel (5) drives to the basket whereas defended by Charlotte Hornets DaQuan Jeffries (3) in the course of the second half at Frost Financial institution Heart. Necessary Credit score: Scott Wachter-Imagn Photographs The San Antonio Spurs look to get again on the successful observe and even the season collection with New Orleans once they host the slumping Pelicans on Saturday.
Saturday’s sport is the second of a house back-to-back for the Spurs in addition to the finale of a four-game homestand.
New Orleans (18-49) already has been eradicated from postseason rivalry however San Antonio (27-38) nonetheless has a fleeting likelihood to make the Western Convention play-in match. The Spurs enter play Saturday 4 1/2 video games behind the Tenth-place Dallas Mavericks for the ultimate place with 17 contests remaining.
The Spurs dropped a 145-134 determination to Charlotte on Friday, enjoying for the primary time in a month with out star guard De’Aaron Fox. The workforce introduced Thursday that Fox would miss the remainder of the season with a torn ligament in his left pinkie finger.
On Friday, San Antonio couldn’t decelerate Charlotte’s scoring from the perimeter, taking place by 26 factors on the break and by no means severely difficult for the remainder of the sport.
Stephon Citadel led the Spurs with 26 factors on Friday whereas Devin Vassell scored 22. Jeremy Sochan hit for 14, Sandro Mamukelashvili had 13 and Keldon Johnson and Julian Champagnie every added 12 factors for San Antonio, which has misplaced 4 of its previous 5 video games.
“This league is just too good to suppose that you are going to have the ability to flip that on or flip a swap (to get again into the sport),” Spurs performing coach Mitch Johnson mentioned. “We tried to make a run a few occasions — we had been combating. You would see the hassle and the competitiveness carry slightly bit.
“However that is not how this works. You do not get rewarded generally for that kind of effort or competitiveness or depth with out execution.”
The Pelicans journey to the Alamo Metropolis after a 113-93 dwelling loss to Orlando on Thursday.
New Orleans, which was led by Zion Williamson’s 20 factors, eight rebounds and 5 assists, trailed by 30 factors at intermission and will do little to make up that deficit within the second half.
Trey Murphy III added 17 factors within the setback whereas Jose Alvarado scored 12 (all within the fourth quarter) for the Pelicans, who’ve dropped 5 of their previous six video games.
Jordan Hawkins’ constant play has been a constructive signal for the Pelicans, because the second-year guard has scored in double figures in 9 of his previous 11 contests.
“He is getting more healthy,” New Orleans coach Willie Inexperienced mentioned about Hawkins on Friday. “We’re making a dedication to be per our minutes for Jordan. That helps, when you realize you are going to play 20-plus minutes a sport, you possibly can put together accordingly. It is good to see him get out on the ground and look extra like himself.”
San Antonio received the primary sport between the groups at dwelling on Dec. 8 earlier than the Pelicans triumphed twice two video games in three days in February in New Orleans to take a lead within the season collection.
–Area Stage Media
