C.J. McCollum had 26 points, nine assists and seven rebounds for the Pelicans, who were without Zion Williamson. The team said the star power forward sat out because of personal reasons.

McCollum shot 5 for 12 on 3-pointers, including 4 for 5 while scoring 14 points in the second quarter. Trey Murphy III scored 20 points.

The Spurs were without Victor Wembanyama (blood clot in right shoulder) and De'Aaron Fox (left pinkie tendon damage).

New Orleans opened the second half on a 15-7 run to take their largest lead at 73-65. San Antonio responded by closing the third quarter on a 25-8 run.

Jeremy Sochan banked in a 3-pointer from halfcourt to give the Spurs a 92-83 lead entering the fourth.

Takeaways

Pelicans: Kelly Olynyk shot 7 for 12 from the field, including a scoop shot he tossed in over his head while avoiding a defender's reach. He finished with 14 points, seven assists and six rebounds in 31 minutes.

Spurs: Veteran center Bismack Biyombo had two points and two rebounds in his 13th start in place of Wembanyama. Biyombo is averaging 5.0 points and 4.9 rebounds in March.

Key moment

With the Spurs clinging to a 113-111 lead with 1:30 remaining, Johnson won a battle for the rebound of Castle's missed 3-pointer. Johnson passed it to Vassell, who drained a 3 from 26 feet to extend San Antonio's lead to 116-111 with 1:03 remaining.

Key stat

San Antonio has 142 3-pointers in March, the most of any team. Boston is second with 139. The Celtics are 7-1 in March while the Spurs are 4-5.

Up next

The Pelicans host Detroit on Monday, while the Spurs are at the Los Angeles Lakers that night.

------

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

Play By Play

Recent plays and game events

TIME	PLAY
12:00	Karlo Matkovic vs. Harrison Barnes (Harrison Barnes gains possession)	0	0
11:38	Devin Vassell misses 25-foot three point pullup jump shot	0	0
11:36	Bruce Brown defensive rebound	0	0
11:18	Bruce Brown makes 1-foot layup (Kelly Olynyk assists)	0	2
10:59	CJ McCollum shooting foul	0	2
10:59	Bismack Biyombo makes free throw 1 of 2	1	2
10:59	Bismack Biyombo makes free throw 2 of 2	2	2
10:48	CJ McCollum misses 26-foot three point jumper	2	2
10:44	Devin Vassell defensive rebound	2	2
10:37	Harrison Barnes misses 22-foot three point jumper	2	2
10:34	CJ McCollum defensive rebound	2	2
10:23	CJ McCollum misses 15-foot step back jumpshot	2	2
10:19	Chris Paul defensive rebound	2	2
10:14	Stephon Castle traveling	2	2
9:49	shot clock turnover	2	2
9:41	Stephon Castle makes driving layup (Chris Paul assists)	4	2
9:24	Bruce Brown makes 22-foot three point jumper (Trey Murphy III assists)	4	5
9:13	Devin Vassell misses 25-foot three point jumper	4	5
9:10	Bruce Brown defensive rebound	4	5
9:03	Karlo Matkovic bad pass (Stephon Castle steals)	4	5
9:02	Karlo Matkovic shooting foul	4	5
9:02	Stephon Castle makes free throw 1 of 2	5	5
9:02	Stephon Castle makes free throw 2 of 2	6	5
8:38	Kelly Olynyk makes 8-foot driving floating jump shot	6	7
8:23	Chris Paul misses 25-foot three point pullup jump shot	6	7
8:20	Karlo Matkovic defensive rebound	6	7
8:16	Kelly Olynyk makes two point shot (CJ McCollum assists)	6	9
8:04	Stephon Castle misses two point shot	6	9
8:02	Karlo Matkovic defensive rebound	6	9
7:57	Stephon Castle personal foul	6	9
7:49	CJ McCollum misses 18-foot pullup jump shot	6	9
7:46	Chris Paul defensive rebound	6	9
7:36	Chris Paul makes 17-foot step back jumpshot	8	9
7:34	CJ McCollum out of bounds bad pass turnover	8	9
7:25	Stephon Castle misses 27-foot three point jumper	8	9
7:21	Karlo Matkovic defensive rebound	8	9
7:17	Trey Murphy III makes 22-foot three point shot (CJ McCollum assists)	8	12
7:15	Spurs Full timeout	8	12
7:15	Keldon Johnson enters the game for Stephon Castle	8	12
6:56	Harrison Barnes makes 22-foot three point jumper (Chris Paul assists)	11	12
6:38	Karlo Matkovic makes 1-foot two point shot (CJ McCollum assists)	11	14
6:31	Chris Paul misses 24-foot three point pullup jump shot	11	14
6:30	Pelicans defensive team rebound	11	14
6:30	Bismack Biyombo loose ball foul	11	14
6:13	Bruce Brown misses 25-foot three point jumper	11	14
6:10	Bismack Biyombo defensive rebound	11	14
6:01	Kelly Olynyk kicked ball violation	11	14
6:01	Julian Champagnie enters the game for Harrison Barnes	11	14
6:01	Jordan Hawkins enters the game for Bruce Brown	11	14
6:01	Jose Alvarado enters the game for CJ McCollum	11	14
5:50	Chris Paul makes 13-foot pullup jump shot (Bismack Biyombo assists)	13	14
5:35	Karlo Matkovic misses 7-foot two point shot	13	14
5:33	Chris Paul defensive rebound	13	14
5:28	Keldon Johnson makes 7-foot driving floating jump shot	15	14
5:17	Karlo Matkovic bad pass (Devin Vassell steals)	15	14
5:11	Julian Champagnie traveling	15	14
5:11	Mo Bamba enters the game for Karlo Matkovic	15	14
5:02	Trey Murphy III misses driving floating jump shot	15	14
4:59	Julian Champagnie defensive rebound	15	14
4:53	Bismack Biyombo offensive foul	15	14
4:53	Bismack Biyombo turnover	15	14
4:53	Jeremy Sochan enters the game for Chris Paul	15	14
4:53	Blake Wesley enters the game for Bismack Biyombo	15	14
4:53	Jeremiah Robinson-Earl enters the game for Kelly Olynyk	15	14
4:39	Trey Murphy III misses 27-foot three point jumper	15	14
4:37	Julian Champagnie defensive rebound	15	14
4:31	Julian Champagnie makes 25-foot three point jumper (Blake Wesley assists)	18	14
4:30	Pelicans Full timeout	18	14
4:16	Jose Alvarado misses 8-foot two point shot	18	14
4:08	Keldon Johnson defensive rebound	18	14
4:07	Jordan Hawkins blocks Blake Wesley's dunk	18	14
4:07	Mo Bamba defensive rebound	18	14
4:04	Jose Alvarado bad pass (Jeremy Sochan steals)	18	14
3:50	Devin Vassell misses two point shot	18	14
3:49	Jeremiah Robinson-Earl defensive rebound	18	14
3:45	Trey Murphy III makes 22-foot three point shot (Jeremiah Robinson-Earl assists)	18	17
3:22	Julian Champagnie makes 22-foot three point jumper (Devin Vassell assists)	21	17
2:57	Trey Murphy III misses 30-foot three point jumper	21	17
2:56	Pelicans offensive team rebound	21	17
2:56	shot clock turnover	21	17
2:56	Stephon Castle enters the game for Devin Vassell	21	17
2:32	Mo Bamba shooting foul	21	17
2:32	Keldon Johnson makes free throw 1 of 2	22	17
2:32	Keldon Johnson misses free throw 2 of 2	22	17
2:29	Trey Murphy III defensive rebound	22	17
2:11	Jordan Hawkins misses 25-foot three point pullup jump shot	22	17
2:06	Stephon Castle defensive rebound	22	17
1:59	Julian Champagnie misses 25-foot three point jumper	22	17
1:55	Jeremiah Robinson-Earl defensive rebound	22	17
1:42	Jose Alvarado makes 1-foot two point shot	22	19
1:27	Blake Wesley misses two point shot	22	19
1:27	Mo Bamba defensive rebound	22	19
1:05	Trey Murphy III misses 28-foot three point jumper	22	19
1:02	Trey Murphy III offensive rebound	22	19
1:00	Julian Champagnie shooting foul	22	19
1:00	Mo Bamba makes free throw 1 of 2	22	20
1:00	CJ McCollum enters the game for Trey Murphy III	22	20
1:00	Mo Bamba makes free throw 2 of 2	22	21
51.1	Julian Champagnie misses 25-foot three point step back jumpshot	22	21
49.1	CJ McCollum defensive rebound	22	21
31.1	CJ McCollum misses driving floating jump shot	22	21
30.1	Mo Bamba offensive rebound	22	21
30.1	Mo Bamba makes tip shot	22	23
7.2	Blake Wesley misses 23-foot three point jumper	22	23
5.1	Jeremiah Robinson-Earl defensive rebound	22	23
0.1	CJ McCollum out of bounds bad pass turnover	22	23
0.0	End of the 1st Quarter	22	23

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Game Information

Time, Location & Referees

Venue

Frost Bank Center

San Antonio, TX

Date & Time

12:30 AM, March 16, 2025

Coverage

KENS 5, GCSEN, Pelicans.com, NBA League Pass

Attendance

18,549

Referees

Mark Lindsay, Tom Washington, Nate Green

2025-26 Southwest Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT	STRK
San Antonio	43	16	.729	W11
Houston	37	22	.627	L1
Memphis	22	36	.379	W1
Dallas	21	38	.356	L2
New Orleans	19	42	.311	W4

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Vassell scores 22 points and Spurs hold off Pelicans, who were without Williamson

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