Pelicans at Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs have yet to get things in order but will be vying for their eighth consecutive home win over New Orleans when they host the Pelicans on Saturday. The defending champions, who are just 2-2, didn't suffer their second defeat last season until the 15th game. “We are a sum-of-the-parts team,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich told reporters. “We have to have all our parts to be at our best. We can’t rely on one player. We have to do it as a group.”
New Orleans has lost by an average of 15.1 points during its skid in San Antonio and typically finds it a challenge to deal with the Spurs’ methods. “They play as a group, they’re unselfish,” Pelicans forward Ryan Anderson told reporters. “They move the ball and find the open man.” New Orleans is hoping to prove it is a vastly improved team this season as it rides the shoulders of third-year standout Anthony Davis.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, NBATV, FSN New Orleans, FSN Southwest (San Antonio)
ABOUT THE PELICANS (2-2): Davis is averaging 23.8 points, 13.3 rebounds and four blocks but has struggled in three career games at the AT&T Center, averaging 12.3 points and eight boards. Tyreke Evans is excelling, averaging 17.8 points, nine rebounds and six assists, but Eric Gordon is just 7-for-34 from the field while averaging 5.8 points. “Our starters have to put their normal production on the floor,” New Orleans coach Monty Williams told reporters. “We’re certainly not as a deep as them, but we can be effective because our first five plays more minutes than San Antonio’s first five.”
ABOUT THE SPURS (2-2): San Antonio lost to Houston on Thursday when it rested Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili, but both players will return to action against the Pelicans. NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard battled an eye issue during training camp and has yet to find his groove, averaging eight points on 7-of-26 shooting. Veteran Tony Parker is averaging a team-leading 16.3 points but had only six points and one assist in the loss to the Rockets.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. San Antonio swept four games from New Orleans last season and has won 11 of the past 12 meetings.
2. New Orleans C Omer Asik is averaging 10.8 points and 11.3 rebounds with two double-doubles.
3. Spurs G Marco Belinelli (groin) and C Tiago Splitter (calf) will likely sit out.