Pelicans Recover Late After Blowing Big Lead to Beat Spurs 104-95 in San Antonio

New Orleans closes on 17-3 run after San Antonio briefly flips a 20-point deficit

The New Orleans Pelicans ended a turbulent night at Frost Bank Center with a 104-95 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday, January 25, 2026, overcoming a fourth-quarter collapse that briefly put the game in San Antonio’s hands.

New Orleans received matching double-doubles from Zion Williamson and Saddiq Bey, who each finished with 24 points and 10 rebounds. The Pelicans steadied themselves late and closed the game on a 17-3 run, avoiding a season sweep after San Antonio’s rally briefly produced a lead in the final five minutes.

The Spurs’ comeback was fueled by a dramatic momentum shift spanning the end of the third quarter and the start of the fourth. After New Orleans built its advantage to as many as 19 points in the third, San Antonio head coach Mitch Johnson responded by substituting out his entire starting unit following a timeout. The move sparked a 21-4 burst bridging quarters, including a 16-point uninterrupted scoring run that flipped the game’s rhythm and brought the home crowd back into it.

San Antonio’s push eventually produced a four-point lead when rookie guard Stephon Castle made the second of two free throws to put the Spurs ahead 93-89 with 4:39 remaining. From there, execution and late-game margins swung back to New Orleans. The Spurs went cold at the line at the worst time, missing their final four free throws while trailing by five in the closing minutes. San Antonio finished 19 of 32 at the foul line.

Victor Wembanyama led the Spurs with 16 points, 16 rebounds and four blocks, while Keldon Johnson added 15 points. Devin Vassell returned from a strained left adductor and scored 13 points in 25 minutes, marking the first time since December 29 that San Antonio had its full rotation available.

For New Orleans, Trey Murphy III contributed 17 points along with nine assists and six rebounds, helping stabilize the offense as the Pelicans regained control late.

• New Orleans led 56-47 at halftime after closing the second quarter on a 19-8 run.
• San Antonio’s 21-4 surge spanning the third and fourth quarters briefly erased a near-20-point deficit.
• New Orleans’ finishing kick (17-3) decided the game after the Spurs took a late lead.

The game turned twice: first when San Antonio’s bench-driven lineup change ignited a comeback, and again when New Orleans reasserted itself with a late closing run.

Up next, San Antonio is scheduled to play at Houston on Wednesday, while New Orleans continues its road swing with a game at Oklahoma City on Tuesday.