The San Antonio Spurs edged past the New Orleans Pelicans 121-116 on Sunday night, powered by Victor Wembanyama’s clutch performance and Chris Paul’s milestone achievement.
Wembanyama, returning from a two-game absence due to lower back soreness, scored 25 points, including a decisive three-pointer with 37 seconds left. His timely shot ended a five-minute scoring drought and regained the lead for San Antonio after a late surge by New Orleans.
Paul, at 39 years old, became second on the NBA’s all-time assists list, surpassing Jason Kidd. The milestone assist came in the first half when Wembanyama sank a three-pointer. Paul finished the game with 10 assists, pushing his career total to 12,099.
San Antonio overcame the loss of two key players, Zach Collins and Keldon Johnson, who exited with injuries in the first half. Despite the setbacks, Stephon Castle contributed 22 points, and Charles Bassey added 16 points and 12 rebounds off the bench.
For New Orleans, Trey Murphy III led the scoring with 25 points, while Yves Missi posted a double-double with 18 points and 14 rebounds. CJ McCollum chipped in 19 points, and Dejounte Murray recorded a double-double with 18 points and 11 assists.
The Spurs held a 12-point lead entering the fourth quarter but nearly faltered as the Pelicans mounted a late comeback. A 13-0 run put New Orleans ahead 116-114 with a minute remaining. However, Wembanyama’s and Paul’s composure under pressure secured the victory.
New Orleans struggled with consistency despite a strong showing from their starting five, which combined for 92 points. The team shot just 43.4% from the field and 34.2% from beyond the arc, which proved insufficient in the tightly contested matchup.
The victory snapped a three-game skid for the Spurs, improving their record to 12-12. Meanwhile, the Pelicans dropped to 5-20, extending their challenging start to the season.
