After recovering from a disappointing loss to the Houston Rockets by beating the Utah Jazz on the highway, the Spurs are headed again house to face a New Orleans Pelicans squad that has the worst document within the West however has nonetheless managed to make issues troublesome for the Spurs of their earlier three match-ups. A win will give the Spurs a sweep of the season sequence, and it’s one they may wish to have earlier than heading proper again on the highway once more and going through a sneakily robust schedule forward of the Rodeo Highway Journey in a couple of weeks.
San Antonio Spurs (31-14) vs. New Orleans Pelicans (11-36)
January 25, 2026 | 6:00 PM CT
Watch: FanDuel Sports activities | Hear: WOAI (1200 AM)
Spurs accidents: Luke Kornet — Questionable (adductor); Harrison Ingram — Out (G-League); David Jones-Garcia — Out (G-League); Stanley Umude — Out (G-League)
Pelicans Accidents: Jose Alvarado — Questionable (indirect); Dejounte Murray — Out (Achilles); Trey Alexander — Out (G-League); Hunter Dickinson — Out (G-League)
The return of Devin Vassell and the hunt for consistency
It has as soon as once more been per week of blended outcomes for the Spurs. Their offense has just about recovered from its post-Christmas droop, they usually had been regular and constant as they regularly put the Jazz away at house to open the week. Nevertheless, of their two highway video games since, they struggled to maintain their foot on the gasoline after constructing sizeable leads. In Houston, they utterly fell aside within the fourth quarter, giving up what had been a 16-point lead and unable to cease the Rockets on protection or discover any good pictures on offense, main to a different loss. Then the identical factor occurred in Utah, however luckily for them, the Jazz had been unable to keep up the momentum that had allowed them to come back again and tie issues up, and De’Aaron Fox and Victor Wembanyama put the workforce on their backs to recuperate and make a dominant game-winning run.
Whereas that’s what you wish to see out of your superstars, it might be higher to not even want their heroics. The Spurs want to acknowledge there such factor as a “comfy” lead in as we speak’s NBA and never let up. Maybe Devin Vassell’s return will assist them discover some extra of that consistency on offense since he’s somebody who can create his personal shot once they get in a rut. Regardless, they’ll have to be cautious as a result of whereas the Spurs have gained all three match-ups towards the Pelicans up to now, every has been shut due to explosive performances from gamers like Trey Murphy III and Derik Queen, plus Zion Williamson performed effectively in his one look towards the Spurs (within the 2nd recreation of the season, which went to additional time). Talking of Zion…
The uncertainty of Zion Williamson
He was presupposed to be their savior: the one who mitigated the sting of Anthony Davis demanding a commerce. With guarantees of a smaller model of Shaq, Williamson was going to be the one who made the New Orleans basketball a real contender for the primary time since Chris Paul was there. As an alternative, he’s one other cautionary story of how typically hype and expertise doesn’t align with actuality. Don’t get it mistaken: each are actual for Zion, however he has by no means been in a position to keep wholesome sufficient to dwell as much as it and consistently faces scrutiny over how a lot of that’s his personal fault, to the purpose that there are large incentives relating to physique administration tied to his contract.
Now, in a state of affairs that appeared virtually exceptional a few years in the past, he’s part of commerce rumors. The Pelicans could also be accepting that he’s not the one who will carry them to the promised land, and with no first spherical choose on this season’s loaded draft, buying and selling him may be one of the simplest ways to get one, even when the Trae Younger deal confirmed groups are beginning to worth their very own picks greater than a star with large query marks. Williamson has been his typical self when he’s performed this season — a terror on the rim however not even a risk to shoot from outdoors — nevertheless it simply isn’t translating to wins anymore. With the commerce deadline looming, will probably be fascinating to see how targeted he truly is.
For all of the stereotypes about Texans on the market, one that’s completely true is we don’t deal with winter climate effectively, particularly as far south as San Antonio. (I used to be 25 earlier than I ever noticed snow in SA and solely recall one “ice day” from faculty, though some type of winter precipitation has turn into a near-annual occasion this decade.) With a large storm shifting throughout the nation and dipping effectively into the South, there’s a likelihood for icy roads starting Sunday morning, relying on if it’s nonetheless raining and/or moist sufficient as soon as freezing temperatures set in. If that’s the case, it’s doable this recreation is both postponed or sparsely attended. If it’s the latter, please don’t decide us! We don’t have the highway remedies and particular tires people up north do.
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