The San Antonio Spurs secured a 135-132 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday night. Although the game should have been a much simpler affair for the fifth-seeded Spurs, the Pelicans gave their opponents a serious run for their money.
The first half of the game was largely one-sided, as the Spurs amassed a 10-point lead in the first quarter, which eventually ballooned to a 20-point lead at the end of the first half.
The Pelicans’ position at the end of the second quarter can largely be attributed to their poor defensive execution. However, some credit is due to San Antonio’s offensive display, as it posted 42 points in New Orleans to close out the first half.
At this stage, the game appeared to be going in the Spurs’ favor. Despite Victor Wembanyama’s prolonged absence, San Antonio was dominant. With the likes of Harrison Barnes, De’Aaron Fox, and Julian Champagnie shooting lights out from beyond the arc, the Spurs looked unstoppable heading into the second half.
Surprisingly, the start of the third quarter saw a drastic shift in momentum as New Orleans’ trio of Herb Jones, Trey Murphy III, and Derik Queen took over the game. With Queen’s playmaking and impact on offense, the Pelicans were able to capitalize on San Antonio’s misses, enabling the team to turn things around quickly.
After a massive 22-point swing in the third quarter, the Pelicans took back the lead, stealing all the momentum heading into the final frame.
Although San Antonio’s offense had gone cold in the third, they managed to find their groove again in the fourth behind some crucial three-pointers by Champagnie. This paved the way for Fox and Dylan Harper to attack the basket.
With Harper’s go-ahead layup in the closing seconds of the fourth quarter, the Spurs managed to regain their lead. Eventually, two clutch free throws by Fox sealed the game.
Dylan Harper vs. Pelicans:
22 PTS (career-high)
6 AST
10-16 FG
And the go-ahead layup to win the game.pic.twitter.com/HhTvJZ8aDx
— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) December 9, 2025
Despite the loss, New Orleans displayed a lot of heart. Pelicans rookie Derik Queen was particularly impressive. He posted 33 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists, and four blocks for the game, showing all the makings of a future star.
DERIK QUEEN IS DIFFERENT.
33 PTS
10 REB
10 AST
4 BLK
11/15 FG pic.twitter.com/7BbyBmNh1B
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) December 9, 2025
Queen was closely supported by Murphy, who had 32 points, three rebounds, four assists, and two steals, and Jones, who contributed 17 points, six rebounds, four assists, four steals, and a block. Given that both Murphy and Jones have been mentioned in trade rumors lately, a performance of this nature will surely increase their trade value.
For the Spurs, Harrison Barnes led the scoring charge, recording 24 points on 9-of-15 shooting from the field. His performance was closely supported by San Antonio’s duo of Harper (22 points, three rebounds, six assists) and Stephon Castle (18 points, five rebounds, five assists).
Although Fox played a key role down the stretch, with 14 points, four rebounds, and seven assists, his 4-of-11 shooting from the field indicates that he was struggling to get going.
San Antonio displayed great resilience on Monday night. Although a close win against one of the lowest-seeded teams in the West doesn’t bode well for the Spurs, a victory will be a welcome sight all the same.
Having improved to 16-7 on the season, San Antonio will look to build upon this victory as it heads into its upcoming matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday, Dec. 10.
