NBA: Spurs beat Pelicans behind Dejounte Murray’s 31
FILE – Dejounte Murray #5 of the San Antonio Spurs dribbles the ball during the second half of a game against the LA Clippers at Staples Center on November 16, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images/AFP
Dejounte Murray scored 31 points to lead six San Antonio scorers in double figures and added 12 assists as the visiting Spurs defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 124-114 on Saturday night.
Lonnie Walker IV added 17 points, Keldon Johnson scored 16, Doug McDermott had 15, Devin Vassell had 14 and Jock Landale 10.
⭐ 31 PTS, 7 REB, 12 AST ⭐@DejounteMurray drops 30+ PTS and 10+ AST for the second-straight game in the @spurs win! pic.twitter.com/HMKEClOssH
— NBA (@NBA) February 13, 2022
CJ McCollum had 36 points and 11 rebounds, Brandon Ingram scored 22, Jonas Valanciunas had 17 points and 12 rebounds, and Herbert Jones scored 13 to lead the Pelicans.
It was the 1,332nd career victory for Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, tying him with Lenny Wilkens for second place in NBA history, one win behind Don Nelson.
The Spurs lead the season series 2-0, having beaten the Pelicans 112-97 on Dec. 12 in San Antonio.
The Pelicans, who never led in the first half, scored the first four points of the third quarter to get within two points.
Murray made two of the Spurs’ four 3-pointers in the period as they expanded the lead to 83-68 midway through the period.
New Orleans closed within eight points twice before San Antonio extended its lead to 98-82 at the end of the quarter.
The Pelicans got within 102-92 early in the fourth quarter, but Murray and Walker answered with consecutive baskets to put San Antonio in command.
The Spurs, who defeated Atlanta 136-121 on Friday, started with a similar scoring pace against the Pelicans. They scored the first seven points of the game and led by 10 points late in the second quarter.
McCollum made a jumper with 9 seconds left in the first quarter, McDermott rushed a missed jumper and Naji Marshall grabbed the rebound, dribbled into the frontcourt and beat the buzzer with a 3-pointer that cut San Antonio’s lead to 37-33 at the end of the period.
Marshall started the second-quarter scoring with another 3-pointer to pull New Orleans within one point, but the Spurs scored the next nine points.
San Antonio led by 10 once more before the Pelicans cut the lead to 59-53 at halftime despite making just 4 of 18 3-pointers in the half.
