The San Antonio Spurs put the basketball world on notice in a dominant opening night victory over the Dallas Mavericks. All of a sudden, Victor Wembanyama and the team have become appointment viewing for hoops fans. Friday night, we’ll see the Alien face off against a refreshed-looking Zion Williamson in what should be an entertaining Western Conference matchup.
The Pelicans are coming off a 122-128 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies in which they blew a 15-point lead. New Orleans lost their starting center
in the process, as Yves Missi is questionable for Friday’s game with a sprained ankle. What the Pels lack in size, they make up for in athleticism and defense on the wing. Herb Jones and Trey Murphy III join Williamson to make one of the most exciting wing rooms in the league.
The Spurs wings are no slouches either. San Antonio led the way with defense on Wednesday night. With Wembanyama patrolling the paint, the Spurs’ perimeter defenders were able to take chances on steals in the passing lanes, leading to easy buckets in transition. The Pelicans will actually play traditional, ball-handling guards in Jordan Poole, Jose Alverado, and Jeremiah Fears, unlike the Mavs, who elected to play a forward at point guard. The Spurs guards and wings will once again be put to the test against the Pelicans.
New Orleans is a tough squad that will be motivated to secure its first win of the season in front of the home crowd. The Spurs will need to match their intensity from Wednesday night if they want to go 2-0 on the road trip.
San Antonio Spurs (1-0) vs. New Orleans Pelicans (o-1)
October 24th, 2025 | 7 PM CT
Watch: KENS5 | Listen: WOAI (1200 AM)
Spurs Injuries: De’Aaron Fox – Out (hamstring), Kelly Olynyk – Out (heel), Jeremy Sochan – Out (wrist), Lindy Waters – Out (eye)
Pelicans Injuries: Kevon Looney – Out (knee), Karlo Matkovic – Questionable (low back), Yves Missi – Questionable (ankle), Dejounte Murray – Out (achilles), Jaden Springer – Out (not with team)
What to watch for:
The offensive glass
The Pelicans had 17 offensive rebounds against the Grizzlies on Wednesday. They got offensive boards from all over their roster, but Williamson led the way with 5. New Orleans is athletic and strong on the wings. If San Antonio doesn’t rebound as a team, they could be in for a long night in the Big Easy. The Spurs did a good job of boxing out and crashing the defensive glass against the Mavericks. Having Wembanyama intentionally playing around the basket to not only protect shots but also grab boards is key. Again, matching the intensity from Wednesday will be key.
Devin Vassell’s scoring
Outside of Wembanyama, the Spurs may have run the most offensive plays for Vassell. They were intentional about getting him coming off screens and handoffs, looking to get easy jumpers in the mid-range and from three. He played well, scoring 13 points on 6-14 shooting. As teams quickly realize they need to send multiple bodies at Wembanyama, there will be counters and openings for players like Vassell. With New Orleans’ clear size disadvantage against Wemby, they’ll need to be creative with their coverages in hopes of containing him. In theory, that should open up opportunities for Vassell as a scorer. He’ll have a chance to build on his solid opening night performance.
Free throws
If you are looking to nitpick Wednesday night’s 33-point victory, it would be that it probably should have been a 42-point victory. The Spurs shot 60.7% from the free-throw line, leaving 9 points at the stripe. Stephon Castle particularly struggled, shooting 5-10 from the line. Shooting is the swing skill for the Spurs this season, whether that’s from three or the stripe. They need to be better at the line as the season goes along. All signs point to Wednesday being an anomaly, but it’s something to keep an eye on nonetheless.
