On April 14, Beijing time, the NBA play-offs continued, the Pelicans played at home against the Spurs, the loser was directly eliminated home, and the winner and the Clippers competed for the 8th place in the West. The Spurs and pelicans played four times in the regular season, with the Spurs winning 3 and losing 1. Before the game, spurs officially announced that assistant coach Becky Harmon has left the team to become the head coach of the WNBA Las Vegas ace.
The Pelicans have experienced ups and downs this season, with only 3 wins and 16 losses at the beginning of the season, and 33 wins and 30 losses in the next 63 games, and the total regular season record is 36 wins and 46 losses. Lillard said in an interview today: "I've always said that CJ is my true friend. Seeing CJ playing with other people, I felt a little strange, even a little jealous. ”
After joining the Pelicans, CJ averaged 24.3 points per game, a nearly four-point improvement from his time at the Trail Blazers this season. CJ's 49 percent shooting percentage at the Pelicans is also a significant improvement over his 44 percent in the Blazers. There's also good news for the Pelicans that Ingram, who missed three games due to injury, is back in this game and has no playing time limit.
Spurs starters: Murray, Primo, Vasell, Kelden Johnson, Peltel, Pelicans starters: CJ, Ingram, Herbert Jones, Hayes, Valanciunas! The camera gives Zion to the sidelines, and the big gold chain around his neck is like hanging a medal. This season, the Fat Tiger has not played a single game, and can only see you next season.
After the game began, the Spurs played well, speeding up + counter-attacking three-pointers, Vassell hit consecutive outside shots, and the Spurs started 8-2. The Pelicans' strategy was to rush under the basket and reduce the number of shots from the outside, and Ingram angrily dunked Collins. Playing 6 minutes in the first quarter, Murray and Peltel both received 2 fouls, which is not a small hidden danger for the Spurs.
The Pelicans' inside line is too high, Hayes and Varan are both 2.11m big, and the Spurs can only seek opportunities on the outside. In the first quarter, the Pelicans led by four points 26-22, and Ingram scored 11 points on 4-of-9 shooting in the quarter. You're tired, come for me! CJ took over the game in the second quarter, and he scored 19 points on 7-of-7 in a single quarter! Murray played 1 minute in the second quarter and 3 fouls were substituted.
The Spurs' outside shooting percentage is not low, shooting 7-of-17 from 17 from three-point range in the first half, shooting 41.2 percent. McCollum was too fierce, scoring 27 points on 10-of-12 shooting at halftime. The Spurs' most disappointing player is Kelden Johnson, who previously scored 20+ in nine consecutive games and scored 2 points on 0-of-7 shooting in the first half today. The Pelicans led 61-50 at halftime.
With just four minutes left in the third quarter, Kelden Johnson scored his first athletic goal, when the Spurs were already trailing by about 20 points. Spurs are not talented enough, and it is difficult for a star to stand up in a life-and-death battle. CJ's shooting percentage dropped in the second half, but Valanciunas scored 12 points in the third quarter and the Pelicans Big Three took turns to break out.
After the third quarter, the Pelicans led by 17 points 92-75. McCollum scored 32 points in the third quarter, and Ingram and Varland both had 17 points. Kelden woke up suddenly in the second half, shooting 0-of-8 in the first and 6-of-8 after that. Peltel also hatted Varan one, and the Spurs played a 16-1 attack wave in the last quarter, narrowing the point difference to six points in the last five minutes.
Ingram and Varan hits and the Pelicans regained their lead to double digits! The Pelicans didn't give the Spurs another chance, and the game ended, with the Pelicans beating the Spurs 113-103, and the Pelicans will compete with the Clippers for 8th place in the West. McCollum remained steady, having 32 points, six rebounds and seven assists on 12-of-23 shooting, while Ingram had 27 points, five rebounds and five assists on 11-of-19 shooting.
Varan shot 9-of-14 and had 22 points, 14 rebounds and three assists, while the Pelicans combined to cut 81 points, 25 rebounds and 15 assists. For the Spurs, Murray had 16 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists on 5-of-19 shooting; Kelden had 15 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists on 6-of-20 shooting; Vassell performed well, scoring 23 points, 2 rebounds and 3 assists on 7-of-13 three-point range.
Officially eliminated, the Spurs this season is officially over! After the game, Spurs coach Popovich was interviewed by the media. Asked if he would continue coaching, Popovich said: "It is not appropriate to ask that question now. "But there's also good news that spurs have 3 first-round picks this year (their own, Raptors and Celtics)!
The Pelicans are also big winners, with the Lakers 99.6% of this year's first-round pick going to the Pelicans, with the remaining 0.4% going to the Grizzlies! Heartbroken, Lakers...