Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – De’Aaron Fox celebrated his NBA season-debut with a sparkling 24-point performance in the San Antonio Spurs’ 126-119 victory over New Orleans on Saturday as the Los Angeles Lakers’ five-game winning streak ended in a sloppy loss in Atlanta. All-Star guard Fox, who missed San Antonio’s first eight games recovering from a hamstring injury, scored 24 points to lead eight Spurs players in double figures.
French star Victor Wembanyama added 18 points and 18 rebounds as the Spurs withstood a 41-point outburst from New Orleans’ Trey Murphy. The Spurs led all the way against a Pelicans team playing without star big man Zion Williamson. Fox missed his only two attempts in the first quarter, but that was enough to shake off the rust. He went six-for-six in the second period and had 15 points by half-time when the Spurs led 66-58. The Pelicans had cut a 14-point fourth quarter deficit to three in the final minute when Fox drove for a basket. He added two free throws on San Antonio’s next possession.
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“Oh, I was extremely excited,” Fox said. “Obviously I’m just like anybody, I have nerves, but coming out here, man, my teammates trust me, I trust them …I’m just trying to help them get wins.”
The Lakers arrived in Atlanta riding a five-game winning streak behind the high-scoring efforts of Luka Doncic. Doncic scored a game-high 22 points and handed out 11 assists, but he committed five of the 20 Lakers turnovers that led to 36 Hawks points. “Just not a lot to like tonight,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “Very disappointing.” Forward Mouhamed Gueye scored 21 points with seven rebounds and seven assists for the Hawks, who were without ailing Kristaps Porzingis. Also missing were the injured Jalen Johnson, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and offensive engine Trae Young, who is expected to miss several more weeks with a sprained knee.
The Lakers, missing Austin Reaves for a third straight game and still waiting for superstar LeBron James to make his season debut as he recovers from sciatica, trailed by as many as 30. Down 68-54 at half-time, Los Angeles cut the deficit to nine early in the third quarter, but the Hawks responded with a 20-4 scoring run to push their lead to 90-65. Zaccharie Risacher sent the crowd at State Farm Arena into a frenzy when he capitalized on another Lakers turnover — off Doncic’s behind-the-back dribble — with a thunderous dunk at the other end.
– Jokic masterclass – The Denver Nuggets, fueled by Nikola Jokic’s sixth triple-double of the season, beat the Indiana Pacers 117-100. Serbia’s three-time NBA Most Valuable Player Jokic scored 32 points with 14 rebounds and 14 assists in just 32 minutes on the floor. The Nuggets won their fourth straight despite the injury absences of Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon.
In Cleveland, Donovan Mitchell’s 29 points included the go-ahead basket with 33.4 seconds remaining in the Cavaliers’ 128-122 victory over the Chicago Bulls. Cleveland were down by six with 1:38 to play when Mitchell delivered eight straight points, and the Cavs, who also had 29 points from De’Andre Hunter, held on to win a game in which they trailed by as many as 19.
In Miami, the Heat prevailed 136-131 in a fast-paced back-and-forth battle with the Portland Trail Blazers. Nikola Jovic scored a career-high 29 points off the bench and guard Norman Powell added 22 for the Heat, who were missing star center Bam Adebayo with a toe injury.
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