Vassell scores 22 points and Spurs hold off Pelicans, who were without Williamson

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Devin Vassell scored 22 points and the San Antonio Spurs held on to beat the New Orleans Pelicans 119-115 on Saturday night.

Keldon Johnson and Harrison Barnes each had 19 points for San Antonio and Stephon Castle added 17.

C.J. McCollum had 26 points, nine assists and seven rebounds for the Pelicans, who were without Zion Williamson. The team said the star power forward sat out because of personal reasons.

McCollum shot 5 for 12 on 3-pointers, including 4 for 5 while scoring 14 points in the second quarter. Trey Murphy III scored 20 points.

The Spurs were without Victor Wembanyama (blood clot in right shoulder) and De’Aaron Fox (left pinkie tendon damage).

New Orleans opened the second half on a 15-7 run to take their largest lead at 73-65. San Antonio responded by closing the third quarter on a 25-8 run.

Jeremy Sochan banked in a 3-pointer from halfcourt to give the Spurs a 92-83 lead entering the fourth.

Takeaways

Pelicans: Kelly Olynyk shot 7 for 12 from the field, including a scoop shot he tossed in over his head while avoiding a defender’s reach. He finished with 14 points, seven assists and six rebounds in 31 minutes.

Spurs: Veteran center Bismack Biyombo had two points and two rebounds in his 13th start in place of Wembanyama. Biyombo is averaging 5.0 points and 4.9 rebounds in March.

Key moment

With the Spurs clinging to a 113-111 lead with 1:30 remaining, Johnson won a battle for the rebound of Castle’s missed 3-pointer. Johnson passed it to Vassell, who drained a 3 from 26 feet to extend San Antonio’s lead to 116-111 with 1:03 remaining.

Key stat

San Antonio has 142 3-pointers in March, the most of any team. Boston is second with 139. The Celtics are 7-1 in March while the Spurs are 4-5.

Up next

The Pelicans host Detroit on Monday, while the Spurs are at the Los Angeles Lakers that night.