G A M E D A Y: Pelicans (39-28) @ Spurs (38-30), 730PM Central

[-Sammy-]

WHERE: AT&T, San Antonio, TX
TV: FOX Sports NOLA, FOX Sports SW
VEGAS: O/U 219.5, Spurs -3.5

Favorites in name only, those among us who are pulling for a playoff seed know the Spurs need this one badly; the Cousins-less Pels are hot and Davis is playing like an MVP. We're 1.5 games back of them going in, so with the Clips, Jazz, and Nuggets all playing tonight, this one is crucial for the postseason-hopeful.

[ducler]

[G R E Y]

Same starting line-up as in our previous game, the 24th variation of the season:

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As far as who's not roster ready, it's still '...and then there was one.'

Big challenge. We know what we need to do. Forty-eight minutes of focused, strong execution on both ends. Keep our wits about us.

Beware the Ides of March...

GO SPURS GO!

[jptremblay]

This is part of an "extra Playoff Series" starting tonight. If we win tonight, I will still trust in our chances to get in PO.

[jptremblay]

Important win...but just another bad game, thanks to the refs and Davis' inmaturity.

[pelifan]

I really wanted the SammySweep.

[G R E Y]

Oh my heart! Oh. My. Heart.

YES!

Well, we overcame one nemesis in slow starts with a blazing 37-26 first quarter thanks to LMA going absolute superstar mode on O early, and then getting key defensive contests and stops late. That matches our season high for firsts. Then they ended on runs the next three quarters, 10-0 in the second (we didn't score in the last 3:35, but maintained the lead at the half 60-58), our 10-0 run in the third was countered by their 8-0 run to end the quarter (but we maintained the lead 78-73), and though we didn't score a FG in the last 5:55 of the fourth, so there's room for improvement, we gave ourselves enough of a cushion throughout the game to pull away for the much needed win.

We put ourselves in that position thanks to some stellar D with blocks, great angles to take away easy shots and drives for them, and doing a great job mitigating their pace, matching it at times, and controlling it in others. We bent, but did not break; we kept our composure in a high-stakes, pressure-filled game, executing late on both ends.

Lemonade out of lemons:

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It feels really good to overcome what seemed like a mental block late in games. We scored enough to put ourselves in a position to win, and defended really well team-wide - they scored 58 in the first half, and 35 in the second - to seal the win.

Congratulations to Danny for a career high 6 blocks He said in a post-game interview that he'd have liked a block when he took that elbow to the face. "I'll take the block for some stitches." He looks like a hockey player now. Just when I didn't think I could like him more lol

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Manu was so critical for us, blocking, taking charges, getting rebounds, scoring timely 2s and 3s. I love him.

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Humble and funny are good, rare combinations. We have that team-wide.

I hope Murray's youth and a sip or two of Manu's magic grandpa juice has him ready. He was wonderful for us tonight, surprisingly our only player with a double double (18 points, 12 rebounds) and balanced getting his shots with distributing really well.

We held a moment of silence in honour of Tom Benson. RIP.

It was a gutsy grind, but a higher level effort all around by our guys. Great to see us turning it up a notch and playing more cohesively at just the right time; this is our first back-to-back win since late January. Of course, we need to build off of it, make this the bar from which to rise going forward. I love our team.

GO SPURS GO!