VIDEO REPORT: Wembanyama has monster night to lead Spurs past Pelicans, 120-116 in OT

Sharif, when new Pelicans executive vice president Joe Dumars took over, he said he wanted *** highly competitive team, and in the first two games, that’s what the fans have been given. Unfortunately, the Pelicans are 0 and 2, but there are some bright spots, and I’m going to tell you about two of them right now. You just showed the highlights. The rookies were fantastic in this game. rookie first round draft picks, Derek Queen and Jeremiah Fears. Their 2nd NBA game again playing crunch time minutes down the stretch against the Spurs team, players with more experience. Queen finishes with 15 points. Jeremiah Fierce finishes with 13 points after the game. Head coach Willie Green, very positive about his young players. Uh, I saw *** lot of poise from both guys at the end of the game, um, throughout the whole game really and um. So just their competitiveness, you can see it like they want it and um. You know, when you, when you evaluate those two guys on the floor with our group, um, the future is bright and so. Though that’s some of the positives that you can take from the game for sure. You know, like I told our group. Uh, they got nothing to hang their heads about. Um, if it, I, I get it, nobody wants to lose, tough loss, uh, but those guys, they, they battled, they were connected. Um, that’s *** good team over there and we, we gave them everything they wanted more and just *** couple key plays that we gotta clean up. We’ll keep working on it together as *** group and um you know this is gonna help us as we as we look big picture. Yeah, we are not looking big picture right now. We’re simply looking at the next game. It’s Monday night here in the Smoothie King Center against the Boston Celtics, and the Pelicans really need to get *** win because after that game on Monday they embark on *** grueling road trip where they play Denver, the Clippers. and the Oklahoma City Thunder. So getting *** win Monday night against the Celtics team that is dealing with *** ton of injuries and is basically taking *** gap year this season in the NBA, it seems like *** must-win game for now, reporting in the Smoothie King Center. I’m Fletcher Mackel, WDSU News.


By Brett Martel, The Associated Press

Victor Wembanyama had 29 points, 11 rebounds and nine blocks before fouling out in overtime, and the San Antonio Spurs held on to beat the New Orleans Pelicans 120-116 on Friday night.Devin Vassell, who had 23 points, hit a 3 in overtime. Julian Champagnie followed with another from deep shortly after to give the Spurs a 116-110 lead and the Pelicans could not recover.Zion Williamson had 27 points and 10 rebounds for New Orleans. He made a free throw to tie it at 107 with 12 seconds left in regulation, but missed another for the lead.The game went to overtime after Wembanyama, guarded closely by Williamson, missed a 15-foot fade as time ran out.But Wembanyama dunked to open overtime and added his last block when he swatted away Trey Murphy’s floater.Luke Kornet had 14 points and 12 rebounds for the Spurs, grabbing nine of his teammates misses to help San Antonio total 20 offensive rebounds and 26 second-chance points.Stephon Castle scored 16 points for the Spurs, including a 3 with 19.8 seconds left in regulation.Dylan Harper scored seven of his 13 points during a pivotal 14-0, fourth-quarter run that gave San Antonio a 100-94 lead.Murphy finished with 24 points and 10 rebounds for New Orleans, while Jordan Poole added 21 points. Pelicans rookies Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears added 15 and 13 points.Williamson got the better of Wembanyama on the game’s first possession, using an explosive drive down the lane to set up a roundhouse dunk as he was fouled by the French star.But that crowd-pleasing moment was short-lived as Wembanyama blocked consecutive Williamson layup attempts soon after.Willliamson and Wembanyama each scored 12 points in the first half, after which New Orleans led 58-57.

NEW ORLEANS —

Victor Wembanyama had 29 points, 11 rebounds and nine blocks before fouling out in overtime, and the San Antonio Spurs held on to beat the New Orleans Pelicans 120-116 on Friday night.

Devin Vassell, who had 23 points, hit a 3 in overtime. Julian Champagnie followed with another from deep shortly after to give the Spurs a 116-110 lead and the Pelicans could not recover.

Zion Williamson had 27 points and 10 rebounds for New Orleans. He made a free throw to tie it at 107 with 12 seconds left in regulation, but missed another for the lead.

The game went to overtime after Wembanyama, guarded closely by Williamson, missed a 15-foot fade as time ran out.

But Wembanyama dunked to open overtime and added his last block when he swatted away Trey Murphy’s floater.

Luke Kornet had 14 points and 12 rebounds for the Spurs, grabbing nine of his teammates misses to help San Antonio total 20 offensive rebounds and 26 second-chance points.

Stephon Castle scored 16 points for the Spurs, including a 3 with 19.8 seconds left in regulation.

Dylan Harper scored seven of his 13 points during a pivotal 14-0, fourth-quarter run that gave San Antonio a 100-94 lead.

Murphy finished with 24 points and 10 rebounds for New Orleans, while Jordan Poole added 21 points. Pelicans rookies Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears added 15 and 13 points.

Williamson got the better of Wembanyama on the game’s first possession, using an explosive drive down the lane to set up a roundhouse dunk as he was fouled by the French star.

But that crowd-pleasing moment was short-lived as Wembanyama blocked consecutive Williamson layup attempts soon after.

Willliamson and Wembanyama each scored 12 points in the first half, after which New Orleans led 58-57.