The San Antonio Spurs opened the season with a 5–0 record but had shown some vulnerability recently, dropping two of their previous three games. On Saturday night, however, they regained momentum thanks to the long-awaited return of former All-Star point guard De’Aaron Fox, who made his season debut after missing the first eight games with an injury.
Fox wasted no time making an impact. Playing 31 minutes, he led the Spurs with 24 points while adding three rebounds and three assists in the team’s 118–111 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans. His return brought balance and pace back to San Antonio’s offense, which had been relying heavily on Victor Wembanyama during Fox’s absence.
Wembanyama continued his early-season dominance, finishing with 18 points, 18 rebounds and three blocks. His defensive presence and interior control helped stabilize the Spurs whenever the Pelicans threatened to make a run. San Antonio showcased depth as well, finishing with eight players scoring in double figures and shooting an efficient 53.3% from the field.
Even with San Antonio’s balanced attack, the Pelicans kept the game competitive behind a career-high 41 points from Trey Murphy III, who knocked down shots from all over the floor to keep New Orleans within striking distance.
After the game, Fox offered high praise for Wembanyama and emphasized the organization’s confidence in its 7-foot-3 cornerstone. “We feel like [Wembanyama] is gonna be one of the best players ever to touch a basketball,” Fox said. “Our job is to help him get there and help him win games.”
The Spurs, now 7–2, will have Sunday off before traveling to Chicago for a matchup against the Bulls on Monday.
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