Spurs face red-hot Pelicans, Anthony Davis Wednesday night

Tip-off between SA, New Orleans is 7:30 p.m. on Fox Sports Southwest

(AP Photo/Scott Threlkeld)

SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Spurs back at home from their rodeo road trip, now face the scorching hot New Orleans Pelicans, winners of six straight games on Wednesday night. 

The tip-off between San Antonio and New Orleans is 7:30 p.m. and the game will be shown on Fox Sports Southwest.

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The Spurs, who most recently beat the Cleveland Cavs 110-94 in a nationally televised game on Sunday afternoon, now must deal with Pelicans forward Anthony Davis, who scored 53 points and grabbed 18 rebounds and had 5 blocks in their win over the Suns on Monday.

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LaMarcus Aldridge scored 27 points, Danny Green scored 22 and Dejounte Murray added 13 points in their latest road victory. The team had dropped six of seven and four in a row before the win.

"One game at a time, today is a big game, a hot team, they are peaking," said Murray.

"Trying to get a win, trying to keep the momentum going forward," said Aldridge.

Star forward Kawhi Leonard's absence however continues to hang over the team as he hasn't played since Jan. 13 and Popovich said earlier this week it's possible the star could miss the remainder of this season.

But recent reports indicate that the Spurs all-star is planning to resume practice soon and is targeting a return to the lineup in late March.

The injury riddled Spurs had Rudy Gay return to the lineup but lost Manu Ginobili who sat out with a bruised sternum -- an injury he sustained in Friday's loss to Denver.

Veteran center Pau Gasol is now nursing a injured knee he tweaked against Cleveland.  He was officially listed as out by the Spurs on Wednesday morning.

The Spurs (36-25) will be hosting their first home game since Feb. 3.  They are presently a game ahead in the loss column to the Pelicans who have won their last six.

The Pelicans have rebounded since losing starting center DeMarcus Cousins, and the strong play of Anthony Davis is a huge reason why.

"That dude is great. He is big, he can handle it, he can shoot it from everywhere, crash the boards." Murray said. "It is going to be a team effort to slow him down."

 

Before Davis's big performance on Monday, the most recent player with 50 points and five blocks in a game was David Robinson back on Feb. 21, 1994. The game was the third 50-point showing of the big man's career. 

 

During the win streak the Pelicans have replaced DeMarcus Cousins in the lineup with a combination of recent trade acquisition Nikola Mirotic and veteran center Emeka Okafor, who had his contract extended through the rest of the season. The 35-year-old former UConn star had been sidelined more than four seasons by a herniated disk, and only recently  returned to New Orleans on a 10-day contract.

The season series between New Orleans and San Antonio began Nov 22 with the Spurs losing on the road, 107-90. They will play Wednesday night and then conclude their season series with games in San Antonio on March 15 and in New Orleans on April 11. 


About the Author:

Ben Spicer is a digital journalist who works the early morning shift for KSAT.