By ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Victor Wembanyama scored 15 of his 17 points in the second half and had a crucial block on Herb Jones’ shot in the final seconds to lift the San Antonio Spurs to a 111-109 victory over the reeling New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night, April 5.
Wembanyama and the Spurs overcame a 10-point halftime deficit in sending the short-handed Pelicans to their fourth consecutive home loss. The Spurs had lost seven straight in the series with New Orleans.
Wembanyama also had 12 rebound and nine assists. The Spurs had 34 assists, their franchise-record 42nd game this season with at least 30.
“It’s a (facilitating) role I knew I always had in me, really, but it’s been hard, being young, obviously,” Wembanyama said. “I’m glad how we’re developing. I can’t be a complete player if I don’t make my teammates better. If it shows up in assists, that’s great.”
San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said despite his young team’s early challenges with turnovers and poor shooting, his players have never quit.
“They’ve never done that,” Popovich said. “They try to play for the whole 48. We are not as consistent as we need to be, but it will come as the future approaches.”
Trailing 107-106, the Pelicans had a chance to regain the lead, but Jones dribbled into the paint and his shot was easily swiped clean by Wembanyama with 10 seconds left. All three of Wembanyama’s blocks came in the fourth quarter.
CJ McCollum led New Orleans with 31 points, but 19 came in the first half as he struggled in the second half with 5-of-17 shooting.
“They started to pick him up a little bit,” Pelicans coach Willie Greeen said. “He missed some easy shots, but we’re asking CJ to do a lot right now.”
Jonas Valanciunas had 26 points and seven assists for New Orleans but was bothered by second-half foul trouble.
The Pelicans were without their two leading scorers. Zion Williamson (22.8) was sidelined with a bruised finger on his left shooting hand, an injury he suffered in a 117-108 loss to Orlando on Wednesday night, and Brandon Ingram (20.9) missed his eighth straight game because of a bone bruise on his left knee.
In Boston, Payton Pritchard had 21 points, including five 3-pointers and the Celtics held off a late charge to beat the Sacramento Kings, 101-100.
Kristaps Porzingis added 20 points and 11 rebounds – his second straight double-double – to help the NBA’s top team claim its 12th consecutive win at home one game after clinching home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. They’ve won 13 of their last 15.
Meanwhile, P.J. Washington capped his best game in Dallas with a tiebreaking layup with 4.5 seconds remaining as Luka Doncic watched because of a sore knee, and the Mavericks beat Golden State, 108-106, to end the Warriors’ six-game winning streak.
Washington finished with 32 points, his most since being acquired by the Mavericks from Charlotte before the trade deadline, and Kyrie Irving had 26.
Grayson Allen scored 23 points, Kevin Durant had 22 and the Phoenix Suns raced to a 15-0 lead in a 97-87 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Bradley Beal had 14 points for the Suns, who have won four straight home games. Devin Booker, coming off games with 52 and 40 points, finished with 13 points and 13 assists. His only 3-pointer of the night gave the Suns a 94-72 lead with 4:02 remaining.
Jusuf Nurkic, who was a game-time decision with a left calf injury, played 26 minutes and had 11 points, 15 rebounds and six assists.
It was only the fourth time the Suns didn’t score 100 points in a game, but it was the first time in those games that they won.
