Pelicans muscle past Spurs 104-95, winning the effort battle on both ends
New Orleans takes control with grit and glass
The Pelicans did not win this game with flash. They won it with fight. New Orleans beat San Antonio 104-95 tonight, closing strong and owning the little things that decide tight games.
Second chance energy, loose ball urgency, and tight rotations carried the night. The Pelicans chased every 50-50 ball like it was the last play. They cut off easy outlets, then turned rebounds into quick strikes. It felt simple, and that was the point. Do the hard work, get the clean result.
Final: Pelicans 104, Spurs 95, Jan 25, 2026
The effort gap that swung the game
New Orleans won the margins. They walled off the paint, funneled drives into help, then finished possessions. The Spurs got one look too often. The Pelicans got two. That was the story.
The bench set the tone. Fresh legs hit the floor and the tempo ticked up. Guards dug down on drives and popped out to shooters without panic. Bigs sprinted end to end. The result was steady pressure that never let San Antonio breathe.
Ball movement was crisp, but patience mattered more. New Orleans turned down early threes for paint touches. That forced the Spurs into tougher closeouts. The Pelicans then attacked the long closeout for layups and free throws. It was textbook, and it broke San Antonio’s rhythm.
Stars who set the pace
Zion Williamson was the compass. He bent the defense with force, drew extra help, and stayed under control. Brandon Ingram supplied the counter. He picked his midrange spots, then moved the ball when traps came. That rhythm spread across the roster.
CJ McCollum spaced the floor and hit timely shots. Herb Jones guarded up and down the lineup. He bothered ball handlers, blew up handoffs, and turned deflections into momentum. The Pelicans did not need a single hero. They needed five connected players. They got that and more.
San Antonio mixed coverages to slow that core. Drop, switch, late blitz, it was all in the bag. The Pelicans stayed patient, kept the ball hopping, and trusted the next man. That is how you win close, late, on the road or at home.
Devin Vassell returns, and the Spurs adjust
Devin Vassell’s return gave San Antonio a needed wing scorer and defender. You could see the lift in structure. Spacing improved. Actions had more purpose. But rhythm takes time, and late-game kinks showed up.
Vassell changes the rotation map. He pulls a top defender, which frees touches for others. He also adds a reliable pull-up threat. That matters in clutch minutes when the first action stalls.
- Stagger Vassell’s minutes to keep shooting on both units
- Lean into two-man actions with the bigs to punish switches
- Tighten late-clock spacing to open clean drives
- Recommit to gang rebounding, guards included
Vassell’s shooting gravity shifts matchups, which can open driving lanes and back cuts if the Spurs stay spaced.
The Spurs flashed good stuff. Quick DHOs, sharp cuts, and better ball pressure after makes. They just did not sustain it. A late offensive rebound here, a live-ball turnover there, and the game tilted. That is the learning curve for a young core.
The turning point, and what it says
The swing came in the second half. San Antonio made a push, then New Orleans answered with composure. A string of stops led to a clean run. The Pelicans chased down two long rebounds, hit a corner three, then got a paint score. That six-point burst felt like twelve. The building cooled, and the Spurs were chasing again.
New Orleans closed with defense first. They took away the first option, then did not overreact. Hands high, feet set, rebound secured. This is the identity the Pelicans want to carry into spring. You could feel the buy-in.
What it means going forward
For the Pelicans, this is a blueprint win. Win the glass, own the paint, keep turnovers low, and trust the stars to make clean reads. The bench energy is a weapon. The defense travels. That is a formula that holds.
For the Spurs, Vassell’s return is a real positive. The offense will smooth out with more reps. The key is effort on every miss and every loose ball. There is no shortcut there. Clean up the boards, reduce live-ball mistakes, and those late possessions look different.
Effort is not a stat on the scoreboard, but it decides the scoreboard. New Orleans proved it tonight.
Conclusion
The Pelicans earned this one. They won the hustle, built extra chances, and sealed it with poised defense. The Spurs got their shot maker back, which matters a lot in the long run. But on this night, the game belonged to the team that did the hard work, over and over, until the clock ran out.
