Spurs-Pelicans Preview

By KEVIN CHROUST

(AP) -- San Antonio recently ended its longest skid since 2010-11, and if the Spurs want to avoid starting another, they need to shore up their perimeter defense and rebounding.

Their first opportunity comes Friday night in New Orleans as the Pelicans try to defeat the Spurs for a second time this season and gain ground in the Southwest Division.

After Thursday's 114-106 home loss to Oklahoma City, San Antonio (18-12) has dropped five of six. The Thunder were 9 of 15 from 3-point range, and opponents have shot 42.0 percent against the Spurs in the last nine games.

Their struggles defending the outside shot have coincided with the absence of one of their top players, Kawhi Leonard, who remains out with a torn ligament in his right hand. The injury has cost him five straight games and seven of the last nine.

"It's a pain thing," coach Gregg Popovich said. "He can't move his hand. He can't catch and dribble and all that kind of stuff with his hand so hopefully something will happen. Medically, they don't think he can hurt it any more than it's hurt now, so that's good. It's just a matter of when he can get use of the hand because it's just too stiff."

The greatest concern against the Thunder was on the glass. The Spurs allowed 16 offensive rebounds and have conceded an average of 13.1 over nine straight double-digit games. Only Philadelphia has allowed more per game (14.0) in that time.

"When somebody retrieves 50 percent of their shots, you can't say you're focused or playing competitive in any way, shape or form," Popovich said.

The Spurs are entering the second game of their sixth back-to-back set since Nov. 30-Dec. 1 and play another over the final two days of the month - a circumstance that appears to be wearing on the aging team. They won the first four of the 14-game stretch but have gone 2-5 since with four straight losses in such contests.

The Pelicans (14-14) are coming off Tuesday's 96-84 loss at Indiana. They've struggled some defensively over a 1-2 stretch that includes a 114-88 loss at Portland on Saturday and a 101-99 win at Oklahoma City on Sunday. Those three combined to shoot 49.8 percent.

Over the past five games, opponents have averaged 51.6 points in the paint and 15.6 second-chance points, which are both higher than any team's season average.

It hasn't gone unnoticed by Anthony Davis.

"We knew coming in they were a physical team and that they were going to push us around," he said. "We have to learn how to be more physical, and be consistent after a good win."

Davis had 21 points and nine rebounds, while Ryan Anderson was 1 of 8 from the floor.

New Orleans shot 39.8 percent, was 4 for 20 from 3-point range and is hitting 25.5 percent over three games, which could bode well for the porous Spurs.

"We have a great game and play incredibly well, and then we have a game that's tough like this," Anderson told the team's official website. "We have to figure out how to play 48 minutes consistently and play both ends consistently.

"One night we'll be great on defense, the next we'll be great offensively. When we can bring that all together, we can be a really great team."

A second straight win against the defending NBA champions would be a good starting point. The Pelicans won 100-99 in San Antonio on Nov. 8, but prior to that had dropped 11 of 12 in the series.

Tony Parker scored 28 last month, while Davis had 27 and 11 rebounds. Jrue Holiday added 15 points and 11 assists for New Orleans.