CJ McCollum completed the victory with 32 points, seven assists and six rebounds, while Brandon Ingram and Jonas Valenciunas both overshadowed the 20-point plateau and led the attacking edge of New Orleans. San Antonio also had a balanced score at the end of the attack, with six players scoring in the double digits, and made a long run in the second half to reduce the lead to just six points. In the end, however, it was not enough for them to overcome the deficit they faced.
With the victory, the New Orleans qualifies to face the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night in an exclusion match for the right to be No. 8 in the Western District and to meet the first Phoenix Suns in the first round. Here are three suggestions, along with a summary of our in-game live updates.

1. Pelicans buckets

The playoffs often end in individual shots and the Pelicans have two of the best in the industry with CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram. On Wednesday, Ingram did a lot of damage heading to the edge and arriving early in the foul line, then McCollum went to work, showing a seemingly endless series of setbacks and stuttering steps. At times they were unprotected – by at least one person – and it shows how dynamic this team can be on the offensive line. I mean, what do you have to do with it? They cooled down for a while in the second half when San Antonio took their turn, but returned to work immediately when their team needed to seal the victory. McCollum and Ingram are huge reasons why New Orleans will be tough against the Clippers on Friday and possibly beyond that if they can advance to the first round with the Phoenix Suns. Then you look at next season, with a healthy Zion Williamson back in the fold, and suddenly the Pelicans look like a serious contender in the West.

2. Not at Herb

If only the ballots for the post-season awards had to be made a few days later, Herb Jones would certainly have won a few more votes for the All-Defense and All-Rookie teams. Already a NBA fan, the 23-year-old rookie showed off his unique defensive talents on the national stage on Wednesday, making countless games that only he could seemingly play. Take, for example, this game where he gets a block, a steal and a dunk (which did not count because he was fouled on the floor before) in a matter of seconds. Jones has been an essential part of the Pelicans’ success this season, and that’s exactly why. In a postseason scene, not only can he guard the other team’s best perimeter players, but he is also a defensive playmaker, picking up steals and blocks that lead to easy buckets on the other end. He also scored a respectable 34 percent of the 3-point range this season and went 2-to-4 on Wednesday with 12 points, five rebounds, two blocks and two steals. Select the checkbox to confirm that you want to sign up.

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3. The latest Pop game?

Greg Popovic has given no indication that he can retire, nor would we expect it, but it is always possible that the 73-year-old coaching legend will call it a career before next season. He won a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics and became the all-time leader in NBA victories earlier this season, so there does not seem to be much left for Pop to succeed. That said, he seemed to enjoy coaching a newer team in reconstruction and was much more … say … enjoyable, with the media in recent years. Whether Popovic retires next week or in another 20 years, he will remain the best NBA coach of all time and one of the best coaches of all time, in any sport. If this was his last game, the Spurs fell for him with the effort and grace that is a trademark that he has infused into all his teams. After the loss, Popovic was asked if he would return for his 27th season and answered in a true pop way. “This question is inappropriate,” he said.