Wembanyama helps Spurs beat Pelicans, 121-116, as Paul moves into second in career assists
SAN ANTONIO (AP) Chris Paul moved into second place on the NBA's career assists list, Victor Wembanyama came back from an injury scare to score 25 points and the San Antonio Spurs held on to beat the New Orleans Pelicans 121-116 on Sunday night.
Paul had 10 assists, giving him 12,099 for his career and moving him past former Phoenix and Dallas star Jason Kidd (12,091).
Stephon Castle added 22 points for San Antonio, which snapped a three-game skid.
Wembanyama left the game with 8:59 remaining in the first quarter when he clutched his lower back. He had missed the previous two games with lower back soreness. But he returned to Sunday's game with 9:34 remaining in the second quarter.
Trey Murphy III scored 25 points and C.J. McCollum had 19 for the Pelicans. Dejounte Murray added 18 points and 11 assists and Yves Missi had 18 points and 14 rebounds.
Pelicans: New Orleans' starting five scored 92 points.
Spurs: San Antonio lost Zach Collins and Keldon Johnson to injuries in the first half. Collins exited midway through the first quarter with a lower back injury when he landed on his right hip after fouling and tumbling over Murray on an attempted rebound. Johnson suffered a left calf injury with 7:11 remaining in the half.
Paul assisted on Wembanyama’s 3-pointer with 37 seconds remaining to snap a five-minute scoring drought and put the Spurs up 117-116. Prior to Wembanyama’s 3, the Pelicans had a 13-0 run to take a 116-114 lead with a minute remaining in the game.
The 39-year-old Paul moved into second place when the 20-year-old Wembanyama made a 25-foot 3-pointer with 7:06 remaining in the first half against New Orleans, the franchise where his 20-year career began.
Pelicans: Host Sacramento on Thursday night.
Spurs: At Portland on Friday night.
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| Time | Team | Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12:00 |  | Yves Missi vs. Victor Wembanyama (Harrison Barnes gains possession) | ||
| 11:44 | | Victor Wembanyama misses two point cutting layup | ||
| 11:43 | | Victor Wembanyama offensive rebound | ||
| 11:41 | | +2 | Victor Wembanyama makes two point tip layup | 0-2 |
| 11:26 |  | +2 | Trey Murphy III makes two point pullup jump shot (Dejounte Murray assists) | 2-2 |
| 11:06 | | +3 | Julian Champagnie makes three point jump shot (Victor Wembanyama assists) | 2-5 |
| 10:42 | | Herbert Jones misses two point driving layup | ||
| 10:41 | | Yves Missi offensive rebound | ||
| 10:39 | | Yves Missi misses two point putback layup | ||
| 10:38 | | Yves Missi offensive rebound | ||
| 10:37 | | +2 | Yves Missi makes two point tip layup | 4-5 |
| 10:24 | | Harrison Barnes misses three point jump shot | ||
| 10:22 | | Yves Missi defensive rebound | ||
| 10:12 | | Dejounte Murray misses three point jump shot | ||
| 10:08 | | Victor Wembanyama defensive rebound | ||
| 10:02 | | Victor Wembanyama misses three point fadeaway jump shot | ||
| 10:00 | | Trey Murphy III defensive rebound | ||
| 9:54 | | Victor Wembanyama blocks Yves Missi's two point running layup | ||
| 9:52 | | Julian Champagnie defensive rebound | ||
| 9:46 | | Julian Champagnie misses three point jump shot | ||
| 9:44 | | Yves Missi defensive rebound | ||
| 9:34 | | Julian Champagnie personal foul (Yves Missi draws the foul) | ||
| 9:19 | | Herbert Jones misses two point driving floating jump shot | ||
| 9:17 | | Yves Missi offensive rebound | ||
| 9:15 | | Yves Missi misses two point tip layup | ||
| 9:14 | | Victor Wembanyama defensive rebound | ||
| 9:08 | | Dejounte Murray blocks Victor Wembanyama's two point driving layup | ||
| 9:06 | | Victor Wembanyama offensive rebound | ||
| 9:05 | | Victor Wembanyama turnover (bad pass) (Herbert Jones steals) | ||
| 8:59 | | Trey Murphy III turnover (out of bounds bad pass) | ||
| 8:59 | | Spurs 60 second timeout | ||
| 8:49 | | Yves Missi shooting foul (Stephon Castle draws the foul) | ||
| 8:49 | | +1 | Stephon Castle makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 4-6 |
| 8:49 | | +1 | Stephon Castle makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 4-7 |
| 8:26 | | +2 | CJ McCollum makes two point driving floating bank jump shot | 6-7 |
| 8:07 | | +2 | Zach Collins makes two point driving layup | 6-9 |
| 7:54 | | +3 | CJ McCollum makes three point jump shot (Dejounte Murray assists) | 9-9 |
| 7:34 | | +3 | Julian Champagnie makes three point stepback jump shot (Stephon Castle assists) | 9-12 |
| 7:26 | | +2 | Dejounte Murray makes two point pullup jump shot | 11-12 |
| 7:14 | | Julian Champagnie misses three point jump shot | ||
| 7:12 | | Trey Murphy III defensive rebound | ||
| 7:05 | | Chris Paul shooting foul (Yves Missi draws the foul) | ||
| 7:05 | | +1 | Yves Missi makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 12-12 |
| 7:05 | | Yves Missi misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | ||
| 7:04 | | Zach Collins defensive rebound | ||
| 6:51 | | Chris Paul misses two point pullup jump shot | ||
| 6:49 | | Zach Collins offensive rebound | ||
| 6:48 | | Zach Collins misses two point tip layup | ||
| 6:47 | | Zach Collins offensive rebound | ||
| 6:42 | | +3 | Chris Paul makes three point jump shot (Jeremy Sochan assists) | 12-15 |
| 6:24 | | +3 | Trey Murphy III makes three point jump shot (CJ McCollum assists) | 15-15 |
| 6:10 | | Julian Champagnie misses three point jump shot | ||
| 6:08 | | Dejounte Murray defensive rebound | ||
| 5:56 | | Zach Collins personal foul (Yves Missi draws the foul) | ||
| 5:49 | | Jeremy Sochan blocks Dejounte Murray's two point driving floating jump shot | ||
| 5:47 | | Yves Missi offensive rebound | ||
| 5:44 | | Jeremy Sochan shooting foul (Yves Missi draws the foul) | ||
| 5:44 | | +1 | Yves Missi makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 16-15 |
| 5:44 | | +1 | Yves Missi makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 17-15 |
| 5:31 | | Devin Vassell misses three point stepback jump shot | ||
| 5:29 | | Yves Missi defensive rebound | ||
| 5:14 | | +2 | Yves Missi makes two point cutting dunk (Dejounte Murray assists) | 19-15 |
| 5:03 | | Julian Champagnie misses two point driving finger roll layup | ||
| 5:01 | | Trey Murphy III defensive rebound | ||
| 4:58 | | Trey Murphy III misses three point running pullup jump shot | ||
| 4:56 | | Yves Missi offensive rebound | ||
| 4:55 | | Jeremy Sochan blocks Yves Missi's two point putback layup | ||
| 4:54 | | Spurs defensive rebound | ||
| 4:40 | | Chris Paul misses three point pullup jump shot | ||
| 4:38 | | Dejounte Murray defensive rebound | ||
| 4:32 | | Jeremy Sochan personal foul (Dejounte Murray draws the foul) | ||
| 4:32 | | +1 | Dejounte Murray makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 20-15 |
| 4:32 | | +1 | Dejounte Murray makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 21-15 |
| 4:20 | | Yves Missi shooting foul (Keldon Johnson draws the foul) | ||
| 4:20 | | +1 | Keldon Johnson makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 21-16 |
| 4:20 | | +1 | Keldon Johnson makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 21-17 |
| 4:06 | | +3 | Brandon Boston Jr. makes three point bank jump shot (Herbert Jones assists) | 24-17 |
| 3:45 | | +2 | Devin Vassell makes two point driving dunk (Keldon Johnson assists) | 24-19 |
| 3:33 | | Dejounte Murray misses three point pullup jump shot | ||
| 3:31 | | Jeremy Sochan defensive rebound | ||
| 3:23 | | Devin Vassell misses three point jump shot | ||
| 3:21 | | Jeremiah Robinson-Earl defensive rebound | ||
| 3:09 | | Antonio Reeves misses three point jump shot | ||
| 3:07 | | Stephon Castle defensive rebound | ||
| 3:01 | | Stephon Castle misses two point driving floating jump shot | ||
| 2:59 | | Stephon Castle offensive rebound | ||
| 2:58 | | Stephon Castle misses two point tip layup | ||
| 2:57 | | Herbert Jones defensive rebound | ||
| 2:53 | | +2 | Dejounte Murray makes two point running layup | 26-19 |
| 2:53 | | Keldon Johnson shooting foul (Dejounte Murray draws the foul) | ||
| 2:53 | | Pelicans 60 second timeout | ||
| 2:53 | | +1 | Dejounte Murray makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 27-19 |
| 2:34 | | +2 | Charles Bassey makes two point dunk (Keldon Johnson assists) | 27-21 |
| 2:22 | | Devin Vassell personal foul (Trey Murphy III draws the foul) | ||
| 2:22 | | +1 | Trey Murphy III makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 28-21 |
| 2:08 | | Keldon Johnson turnover (bad pass) (Jeremiah Robinson-Earl steals) | ||
| 2:22 | | +1 | Trey Murphy III makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 29-21 |
| 2:08 | | Keldon Johnson turnover (bad pass) (Jeremiah Robinson-Earl steals) | ||
| 2:07 | | Jeremiah Robinson-Earl turnover (bad pass) (Jeremy Sochan steals) | ||
| 2:02 | | Jeremiah Robinson-Earl blocks Jeremy Sochan's two point driving dunk | ||
| 2:00 | | Charles Bassey offensive rebound | ||
| 2:00 | | +2 | Charles Bassey makes two point putback layup | 29-23 |
| 1:45 | | +2 | Brandon Boston Jr. makes two point stepback jump shot | 31-23 |
| 1:38 | | Antonio Reeves shooting foul (Keldon Johnson draws the foul) | ||
| 1:38 | | +1 | Keldon Johnson makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 31-24 |
| 1:38 | | +1 | Keldon Johnson makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 31-25 |
| 1:26 | | CJ McCollum misses three point jump shot | ||
| 1:24 | | Stephon Castle defensive rebound | ||
| 1:14 | | Jeremiah Robinson-Earl shooting foul (Charles Bassey draws the foul) | ||
| 1:14 | | Charles Bassey misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | ||
| 1:14 | | Spurs offensive rebound | ||
| 1:14 | | +1 | Charles Bassey makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 31-26 |
| 1:00 | | Trey Murphy III misses two point driving floating jump shot | ||
| 0:57 | | Devin Vassell defensive rebound | ||
| 0:56 | | Devin Vassell turnover (bad pass) (Antonio Reeves steals) | ||
| 0:54 | | +3 | Trey Murphy III makes three point jump shot (Antonio Reeves assists) | 34-26 |
| 0:35 | | Jeremy Sochan misses three point jump shot | ||
| 0:35 | | Brandon Boston Jr. defensive rebound | ||
| 0:26 | | Brandon Boston Jr. misses three point jump shot | ||
| 0:24 | | Keldon Johnson defensive rebound | ||
| 0:20 | | +2 | Charles Bassey makes two point running layup (Keldon Johnson assists) | 34-28 |
| 0:04 | | Charles Bassey blocks Antonio Reeves's two point driving layup | ||
| 0:03 | | Stephon Castle defensive rebound | ||
| 0:00 | | Stephon Castle misses three point pullup jump shot | ||
| 0:00 | | Spurs offensive rebound | ||
| 0:00 | | End of period |