New Orleans’ two opponents on a pre-Thanksgiving homestand couldn’t be more different in terms of their offensive gameplan – Oklahoma City relies on three All-Stars who can break down a defense by themselves, while San Antonio’s collective approach has resulted in a quality start to 2017-18, despite the absence of All-NBA forward Kawhi Leonard and key cog Tony Parker.
As the Pelicans (9-8) prepared to host the Spurs (11-6), New Orleans players acknowledged that defending San Antonio requires significant concentration and discipline. The Spurs are known for their ball movement, which sometimes finds cracks in the opposition after numerous passes.