Dylan Harper and Derrick Quinn start the Pelicans-Spurs matchup

The Spurs probably didn’t expect to have to work so hard in the Bayou. San Antonio got a big scare before pulling out a last-minute 132-135 victory on the floor New Orleans. The red lantern of the league sold the leather quite dearly in a very open match.

The beginning of the match is complicated: the Spurs miss the first eight shots, and the Pelicans do not take advantage of it. Harrison Barnes puts an end to this lighting delay with his outside shot, and the match is really on for the visitors. New Orleans is not there defensively and leaves many positions open. Julian Champagne he punishes them by getting off the bench, and the gap swells in the blink of an eye. De’Aaron Fox starts with a 3-pointer just before the buzzer: San Antonio scores 28 points in eight minutes and takes a ten-point advantage at the end of the first quarter (25-35).

Outstanding third quarter by Derrick Quinn

And the troubles are far from over for the Pelicans. James Borrego’s players continue to miss layups and completely forget about pulling back defensively. The Spurs understood this well and changed gears for 23-6 in just six minutes. The Texans have already crossed a 20-point lead with 10/14 three-pointers and are not letting up the pressure. Dylan Harper invited to the party with 11 points with ease (5/5) in the second quarter. Devin Vassell puts the exclamation point on this offensive festival with a shot from the Pelican wing that is drawn to the center circle, and San Antonio exceeds 77 points in the first period (57-77).

But halftime ended the visitors’ good momentum. And New Orleans gets its wish again. The Pelicans start the third quarter hungry, with Derrick Queen as a leader. The rookie’s interior showcases his entire technical palette and completely takes the game into his own hands. The low post, the touch, the quality of passing, the power advantage well used… That’s the display Quinn offers as Spurs struggle to cover their circle. And as San Antonio piles up more turnovers, the match changes again. 22-4 in five minutes puts “NOLA” completely back in the game, and then Queen ends his festival: 21 points on 6/6 and 9/9 on free throws, 4 rebounds, 5 assists in the third quarter! Demonstration for 45-23 during the period and control of the match (102-100).

Finishing with a knife

After the storm, Spurs found some air thanks to Champagne, still worthy of his long-range shot. After Queen, it’s Harper’s turn to stand out. The second pick of the last draft takes the Spurs game into his own hands and gets his team back on track (119-127). But once again, New Orleans is reactionary and it hurts when things are going well. Derrick Quinn confirms the first triple-double of his career, but it is Trey Murphy III which makes the difference. The winger is everywhere in goals, from distance, at height or on free throws. Scores eleven points in just over three minutes and flips Smoothie King Center: +1 New Orleans entering the final minute.

Fox fought back with a big step back, but Queen, fantastic, beat Cornet hard, 132-131 with 30 seconds left. The Spurs are in trouble with just eight seconds of possession and a layup after a timeout. Mitch Johnson trusts Dylan Harper, and he’s right: the guard makes the game-winning layup, which Quinn can’t answer with a 3-pointer.

WHAT TO REMEMBER

– Magnificent duel Derrick Quinn – Dylan Harper. This is the story of this match, a long distance match between two rookies who are expected to do big things in the future. Derrick Quinn showed everything he can do on the floor, in his atypical style, between strength and technical finesse. He achieved his first triple-double with 33 points on 11/15 shooting and 11/13 free throws, 10 rebounds, 10 assists and 4 blocks. But Dylan Harper had the last word, impressive when it comes to attacking the circle and finished the match with exceptional composure (22 points on 10/16, 6 assists).

– Spurs came close to a big disappointment. San Antonio led by 25 points in the first half, and by 20 points at halftime. But this lead was squandered by high speed, a mistake by the talents of Derrick Quinn and Trey Murphy III, but also a little too much ease and an interior defense that was too weak. A loss to the bottom of the West would look bad for a playoff contender. The return of Victor Wembanyama should do a lot of good.

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How to read statistics? Min = Minute; Shots = Shots Successful / Shots Attempted; 3 points = 3 points / 3 points in an attempt; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D=defensive jump; T = Total number of jumps; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal mistakes; Int = intercepts; Bp = lost balls; Ct: Against; +/- = Difference of points when the player is on the field; Points = Points; Rating: player rating calculated based on positive actions – negative actions.