Spurs end Pelicans' seven-game road win streak
LaMarcus Aldridge scored 25 points as the San Antonio Spurs defeated the visiting New Orleans Pelicans 98-93 on Thursday night.
Dejounte Murray added 18 points and 12 rebounds, and Manu Ginobili scored 11 as the Spurs won their second straight game to start a six-game homestand.
Jrue Holiday led the Pelicans with 24 points as their seven-game road winning streak ended. New Orleans lost for the third time in four games overall.
Pelicans star Anthony Davis added 21 points and 14 rebounds before fouling out in the final minutes. Ian Clark scored 16 points off the bench and E'Twaun Moore had 11.
The Spurs scored 37 points in the first quarter and led 60-58 at halftime, but the scoring pace slowed in the third quarter.
Murray produced the first five points of the period, and the Pelicans went scoreless for the first 2:51.
Moore's basket ended the drought, but Ginobili scored nine points as San Antonio built a 78-65 lead.
Emeka Okafor scored four points during an 8-0 run that pulled the Pelicans within 78-73 at the end of the third quarter.
Clark's jumper started the fourth-quarter scoring before the Spurs put up seven straight points to take an 85-75 lead.
Holiday scored eight points as New Orleans got within 91-90 with 3:26 left.
Davis fouled out while defending an Aldridge shot with 1:51 left, and Aldridge made both free throws.
New Orleans failed to score on its next two possessions as it had a shot-clock violation and Aldridge blocked and rebounded a shot by Moore.
After a Spurs miss, Holiday made one of two free throws to get the Pelicans within 93-91 with 21 seconds left.
Ginobili made two free throws with 15 seconds left, and Holiday sank a layup.
Patty Mills made one free throw, leaving San Antonio with a 96-93 lead with nine seconds left. Nikola Mirotic missed a 3-point try for New Orleans, and Mills made two more free throws.
Aldridge scored 14 first-period points and the Spurs shot 60.7 percent (17 of 28) as they took a 37-26 lead after one quarter.
San Antonio took its biggest lead of the half at 54-39 midway through the second quarter before New Orleans heated up.
Davis scored nine points during a 19-6 Pelicans run that pulled the visitors within 60-58 at halftime.
--Field Level Media
