De’Aaron Fox shines in return from injury
De’Aaron Fox shines in return to NBA action as the San Antonio Spurs defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 126-119 on Saturday night. The All-Star guard, who missed the start of the season due to a hamstring injury, scored 24 points and helped end the Spurs’ losing streak.
French sensation Victor Wembanyama also impressed, contributing 18 points and 18 rebounds. Meanwhile, Trey Murphy led the Pelicans with 41 points, but it wasn’t enough to prevent defeat.
Fox set the tone early, scoring 15 first-half points as San Antonio led 66-58. The Pelicans reduced the gap to three in the final minute, but Fox’s late layup and clutch free throws sealed the win.
“I was very excited,” said Fox after the game. “Coming back here, my teammates trusted me, and I trusted them. I’m just trying to help us win.”
Lakers’ streak snapped by Hawks
The Los Angeles Lakers’ five-game winning streak came to an end with a 102-122 loss to the Atlanta Hawks. Despite Luka Doncic posting 22 points and 11 assists, turnovers proved costly as the Lakers gave the ball away 20 times, leading to 36 points for Atlanta.
Head coach J.J. Redick called the performance “a huge disappointment,” as the Lakers struggled without LeBron James and Austin Reaves.
For Atlanta, Mohamed Gueye stepped up with 21 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists in the absence of several key players, including Trae Young and Kristaps Porzingis.
Jokic dominates as Nuggets roll past Pacers
In Denver, Nikola Jokic recorded his sixth triple-double of the season, leading the Nuggets to a 117-100 victory over the Indiana Pacers. The reigning MVP tallied 32 points, 14 rebounds, and 14 assists in just 32 minutes, guiding his team to a fourth straight win despite missing Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon.
Mitchell leads Cavs comeback
In Cleveland, Donovan Mitchell shined once again, scoring 29 points, including eight consecutive in the final minute, to lead the Cavaliers to a 128-122 comeback win over the Chicago Bulls. The Cavs erased a 19-point deficit, showing their resilience late in the game.
Jovic stars as Heat edge Blazers
In Miami, Nikola Jovic came off the bench to score a career-high 29 points, powering the Heat to a 136-131 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. Norman Powell added 22 points as Miami triumphed despite the absence of Bam Adebayo.
