Spurs 100, Pelicans 92
SAN ANTONIO -- Manu Ginobili scored 20 points, including nine in the fourth quarter to help San Antonio put the game away, and the Spurs galloped past the short-handed New Orleans Pelicans 100-92 Wednesday to remain unbeaten at home.
The Spurs fashioned a 22-9 run that bridged the final two minutes of the second quarter and the first six of the third while expanding their lead to 60-45 and waylaying any chance of a New Orleans upset.
With the victory, San Antonio (63-13) tied a franchise record for wins in a season that was set in the 2005-06 campaign when the Spurs went 63-19.
The Spurs are 38-0 at the AT&T Center this season, supplanting the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls for the longest home winning streak to start a season in NBA history.
San Antonio has won a franchise-best 47 consecutive regular-season games at home since a loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on March 12, 2015. The Spurs' streak is the second longest in NBA history, trailing only the continuing run of victories at home by the Golden State Warriors (54).
Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green added 16 points apiece for the Spurs, while LaMarcus Aldridge scored 11 points while shooting just 3-for-11 from the floor. Thirteen players saw the floor for San Antonio, and 12 of them scored.
New Orleans suited up just nine players, but seven of them scored in double figures.
Alexis Ajinca led the Pelicans (27-47) with 18 points. Jordan Hamilton scored 14, and James Ennis (who was signed to a 10-day contract on Wednesday and arrived at the arena at 5:45 p.m. from Iowa) added 13 points. Toney Douglas hit for 12 points, Tim Frazer scored 11, and Dante Cunningham and Luke Babbitt added 10 points apiece for New Orleans.
The Spurs opened the game with their normal starting five for the first time in a week after resting Tony Parker, Tim Duncan, Aldridge and Green and giving Leonard time to heal from a right quad contusion that kept him out two contests.
New Orleans' ragtag lineup kept pace with the Spurs for the first quarter, holding the lead twice before a step-back jumper by Boris Diaw with 0.8 seconds remaining in the quarter granted San Antonio a 27-26 advantage.
The Spurs made 10 of their 19 shots in the period while New Orleans kept pace, shooting 50 percent an hitting four of its five 3-point attempts.
Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry was assessed a technical foul midway through the second quarter after vociferously disagreeing on a non-call under the Spurs' basket.
Both teams were putrid in the second quarter, but the Spurs were less so, taking a 46-39 lead to halftime. San Antonio hit only five of its 19 shots in the period (26.3 percent) while the Pelicans were just 5-for-20 from the field and committed seven turnovers. Leonard had 14 points at the half to lead all scorers, while Douglas led New Orleans with 12 points.
The Spurs outscored New Orleans 27-16 in the third quarter (and 46-29 in the second and third quarters) and built a 73-55 lead through three. Green had eight points in the third and 16 through the first 36 minutes.
The Pelicans made a final run at San Antonio in the fourth quarter, cutting the Spurs' lead to nine points in four different instances, the final time on a 3-pointer by Ennis with 4:39 to play. However, Ginobili hit a 3-pointer, added a driving layup off a nifty assist by Kyle Anderson and poured in another trey and a free throw to put the game out of reach.
NOTES: The Spurs improved to 3-1 against the Pelicans this season. ... Spurs F David West was originally selected by New Orleans in the first round (18th overall) in the 2003 draft. He spent eight years in New Orleans, averaging 16.4 points and 7.3 rebounds in 530 games. ... San Antonio has trailed for only 11 minutes and 13 seconds in 444 minutes played in fourth quarters at home this season. ... In three games against San Antonio this season, Pelicans F Ryan Anderson averaged 16.0 points and 7.0 rebounds per contest. He didn't play Wednesday due to a sports hernia... Pelicans G Jrue Holiday recorded 20-plus points in 20 of his past 28 contests before he was ruled out for the season Tuesday due to a facial injury.