A last-gasp basket from Zion Williamson has allowed the New Orleans Pelicans to survive a scare from lowly San Antonio and run out 114-113 winners on the road.
The Spurs, running last in the NBA's Western Conference, led by as many as 12 points on Saturday (AEDT) as top draft pick Victor Wembanyama (16 points, 14 rebounds) registered his fifth double-double in six games.
San Antonio out-enthused the hot-and-cold Pelicans on the glass at both ends of the floor, but gave up 18 turnovers and found themselves in an 88-all deadlock at the final change.
Williamson, the top pick of the 2019 draft, threw down a dunk to put New Orleans back within one point in the final 30 seconds of a seesawing fourth quarter.
When Williamson (33 points, eight rebounds) belted up the floor in transition and charged through the paint past three defenders, the Pelicans took a one-point lead with 3.8 seconds to play.
"I don't know how he made it," New Orleans guard Jose Alvarado said.
"He's going down full speed. Three guys at home with him, full speed. Wemby (Wembanyama) was there. That was one of the guys. Amazing shot blocker and he still gets it off high off the glass."
Devin Vassell, San Antonio's leading scorer with 28 points, missed an attempt for three out of the Spurs' timeout that could have given his side just their 11th win from 49 games this season.
In the LA Clippers' 136-125 defeat of the Detroit Pistons, guard Russell Westbrook became the 25th player in NBA history to score 25,000 career points.
Westbrook (23 points, nine assists) is one of only four active players to have reached the milestone, alongside Clippers teammate James Harden, LeBron James and Kevin Durant.
"I am so grateful to be on this team," said Westbrook, who passed 25,000 with a lay-up in the final quarter.
"I don't take any of this for granted."
Denver Nuggets big man Nikola Jokic shook off back soreness to post the 120th triple-double of his career in a 120-108 defeat of the Portland Trail Blazers.
Only once before has the two-time NBA MVP recorded more rebounds than the 22 he pulled down on at home on Saturday.
The Serbian also had team-high figures for points (27) and assists (12) as he returned to the fray after missing the reigning champions' last-start loss to Oklahoma City.
Elsewhere, MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander racked up 31 points as Oklahoma City Thunder cruised past the visiting Charlotte Hornets 126-106.
Canadian guard Gilgeous-Alexander, who also had nine assists and five steals, has reached 30 points in each of his past nine games.
The Thunder led all day, by as many as 35 points early in the fourth quarter, and have now moved into a tie with the Minnesota Timberwolves atop the Western Conference standings.
Australia's Josh Giddey contributed eight points and six rebounds as rumours of a move away from Oklahoma City continue to swirl ahead of next week's trade deadline.
