Wembanyama absent, Spurs edge Pelicans 135-132 in New Orleans

Without Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio pulled off a dramatic 135-132 road victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on December 8, 2025, at the Smoothie King Center in a regular season clash that went down to the wire. Harrison Barnes led the charge with 24 points, proving that the Spurs can compete even without their franchise cornerstone.

San Antonio survives a 135-132 firefight in the Crescent City

The Spurs came out with purpose in the opening quarter, relying on collective offense to compensate for the absence of their star. Dylan Harper was sharp early, while Stephon Castle showed no ill effects from his own injury concerns, attacking the paint with aggression. New Orleans, however, refused to be pushed around on their home floor, with Trey Murphy III igniting quickly from the perimeter and Derik Queen making his presence felt both inside and on the glass. By halftime, the two teams were locked in a tightly contested affair, each squad trading punches without either pulling decisively ahead.

The third quarter belonged to the Pelicans. Murphy III continued his hot shooting — finishing with 32 points on 13-of-21 from the field — while Queen orchestrated New Orleans possessions with remarkable poise. The rookie center put together one of the more complete individual performances of the young season, recording 33 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists to go with 4 blocks, shooting an efficient 11-of-15 from the floor. Herbert Jones added 17 points, 6 rebounds and 4 steals off the bench to keep the Pelicans firmly in front heading into the fourth.

The final twelve minutes, however, swung decisively back toward San Antonio. Julian Champagnie, who had been lethal from three all evening, knocked down clutch shots down the stretch, finishing with 17 points on 5-of-9 from deep. De’Aaron Fox steadied the offense with 14 points and 7 assists, and the Spurs’ collective composure proved just enough to escape Louisiana with two points in the standings.

Champagnie’s sharpshooting and Harper’s efficiency seal the deal

Two sequences defined San Antonio’s victory. First, Dylan Harper’s back-to-back buckets in the fourth quarter — the rookie guard converting difficult mid-range looks to cut a five-point Pelicans lead to one — swung the momentum irrevocably. Harper finished with 22 points on 10-of-16 shooting and 6 assists, a remarkably mature outing for a player still finding his NBA legs. Second, Champagnie’s back-breaking three-pointer with under two minutes remaining silenced the Smoothie King Center and gave San Antonio the lead for good. His +13 plus/minus was the best among all Spurs and underscored just how valuable his shooting gravity proved without the n°1 pick of the 2023 draft on the floor to draw defensive attention.

What to take away: five performers, zero Wemby, one W

Wembanyama’s absence and the injury context

The French phenom did not dress for this contest, continuing to manage a physical issue that has kept him sidelined. Reports in the days leading up to the game noted that Wembanyama had returned to practice, suggesting his return to game action is drawing closer. For now, head coach Gregg Popovich’s staff is clearly managing the long-term picture carefully, unwilling to rush the most important player in the franchise’s future.

A Spurs roster showing real depth

Perhaps the most encouraging takeaway from this 135-132 win is the sheer breadth of contributors. Five Spurs players reached double figures, with Barnes (24 pts), Harper (22 pts), Castle (18 pts), Champagnie (17 pts) and Fox (14 pts) all stepping up in meaningful ways. Castle in particular impressed with 18 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists while shooting 7-of-8 from the free-throw line, demonstrating the two-way maturity that made him a top draft selection. The victory signals genuine depth on a roster built around a generational talent still working his way back.

Looking ahead: Wemby’s return looms large

San Antonio will look to build on this gutsy road win as the regular season pushes deeper into December. With Victor Wembanyama reportedly close to a return, the Spurs could soon field something closer to full strength — a prospect that should concern every opponent on the schedule. New Orleans, meanwhile, will need to figure out how to translate Derik Queen’s triple-double brilliance into victories rather than near-misses.

• Harrison Barnes: 24 pts, 2 reb, 9/15 FG
• Dylan Harper: 22 pts, 6 ast, 10/16 FG
• Stephon Castle: 18 pts, 5 reb, 5 ast
• Julian Champagnie: 17 pts, 5/9 from three, +13
• De’Aaron Fox: 14 pts, 7 ast