Stephen Michael

Takeaways: Fox Returns As Spurs Fend Off Pelicans After weeks on the sideline, De’Aaron Fox gave San Antonio the late-game poise it needed.

NEW: For one night on Saturday, the Spurs looked whole again — and maybe, for the first time this season, like the team they’ve been building toward.

Takeaways:
🏀: A Fox Returns
🏀: Steph Builds His Castle
🏀: The New Formula

Steph Castle, following his 14p/14a night: "I just try to make the easier play. Being able to touch paint is the ability a lot of guys have on our team. I feel when I get there, I try to make the easy play. Credit to the guys for knocking down shots."

Mitch Johnson after the #Spurs win: "We've done a good job at responding to adversity or when things aren't going our way... We have to make sure we aren't digging our own hole at times, but I do think we've done a good job at responding when necessary."

🎥: Spurs

Final: Spurs 126, New Orleans 119

It was closer than it needed to be but the Spurs get the job done with 8 players in double figures, improving to 7-2 on the season.

Fox 24 pts, 64% FG
Wemby 18 pts, 18 reb
Vassell 16 pts (4-8 3pt FG)

An upset Mitch Johnson asks for timeout as New Orleans has cut into the Spurs lead, now at 108-100 with 5:48 left.

Spurs on a 9-2 over the last 1:30 to put San Antonio up 101-87 early in the 4Q. Wemby with a personal 5-0 run as he now has 16 points and 15 boards. Timeout New Orleans.

End of 3Q: Spurs 92, New Orleans 85

The Pelicans are hanging around in this one. They win the 3rd quarter 27-26, setting up a tense final 12 minutes.

Fox 18 pts
Castle 12 pt, 11 ast
Wemby/Barnes/Champ 11 pts

NO: Murphy III 29 pts to lead all scorers.

An 8-0 Spurs run has the lead back up to 13. Sochan with a steal and dish to Champ. Followed up by a Castle jam, and it's 83-70. Willie Green wants to talk it over.

The Spurs are playing their third game in four nights. It's really showing in this third quarter.

Mitch Johnson is not happy with his team and how they've come out to start this second half. He wants a timeout as the Spurs lead 71-63 early 3Q.

Halftime: Spurs 66, New Orleans 58

After leading by 19, San Antonio takes an 8-point lead into the locker room. De'Aaron Fox fueled the offense in the 2Q with a personal 10-0 run.

Fox 15 pts, 75% FG
Barnes 11 pts, 80% FG
Wemby 8 pts, 9 reb

NO: Murphy III 16 pts

Willie Green wants another timeout as the Spurs take their biggest lead of 14. Vic is learning to play out of the double on the previous, finding Fox for a 3-ball.

De'Aaron Fox with a little 5-0 run of his own after New Orleans made their run to tie the game. Willie Green angrily asks for a timeout. Spurs up 37-34 with 8:40 left until halftime.

End of 1Q: Spurs 28, New Orleans 22

Not a bad first quarter for San Antonio. Some defensive lapses that I'm sure Mitch will address it but not too bad.

Barnes 8 pts
Wemby/Sochan/Castle 4 pts.

Sean Sweeney just slammed his board with his fist after Alvarado was left open for three. Mitch pointed, and Sweeney wrote down something. Obviously, this will be brought up again at halftime.

The Spurs are hustling to start this one. Steph Castle just dived to save a loose ball, crashing into PR man Kris Davis. They're both okay, but Mitch Johnson calls an early timeout.

Spurs and Pelicans are underway at the Frost Bank Center.

Starters for Spurs-Pelicans:

San Antonio: Wemby, Barnes, Vassell, Castle, Fox.

New Orleans: Fears, Murphy, Jones, Bey, Looney

No Luke Kornet tonight but Champ is coming off the bench with Fox returning.

Note: I'm currently moving from Substack to Ghost, so the links on site may not work at the moment 😅

Lone Star Sports Journal In-Depth Coverage. Texas Perspective.

Our mission is simple: deliver honest, insightful, and passionate independent journalism for fans who live and breathe Texas sports.

We’re not just covering games — we’re telling the stories behind them.

Subscribe today for free content to your inbox: www.lonestarsports.link

Taking a page from @mattlombardo.bsky.social here:

Lone Star Sports Journal is your home for in-depth coverage of Texas sports — from NBA hardwood to the soccer pitch.

The latest on the Spurs, Cowboys, Longhorns, or the rising stars across college programs.

Mitch Johnson said last night “I hope to see him back soon, he’s real close.”

I don’t think any of us thought that meant tonight 😅

Jeremy Sochan, Kelly Olynyk, and Luke Kornet are QUESTIONABLE for the #Spurs tonight.

De’Aaron Fox will play and is off the injury report.

There’s a nice chance the Spurs are pretty much close to healthy tonight.

Takeaways: Wemby, Spurs Snap Skid With Win Over Rockets To Open NBA Cup Play Wembanyama's strong second half and tough defense helps Spurs snap skid.

NEW: After two games of uncharacteristic performances and struggles from their star player, the Spurs got back on track in their NBA Cup opener.

Takeaways:
🏀 Wemby figures some things out
🏀 Julian’s redemption arc
🏀 Defensive anchor

Wemby on his slow starts for the past 3 games: "Just experience. There's a difference between never facing this kind of defense before to now, 3 or 4 games later. We're trying to figure it out. I'm trying to figure it out. It's going to get better."

Mitch Johnson on Wemby in the 2nd half: "I think he slowed down and allowed the reads to unfold. When he gets the ball and we space properly, teams have to decide to guard him one-on-one or bring multiple bodies. It's no secret."

Spurs snap their 2-game losing streak and get the 121-110 victory over the Rockets in NBA Cup play.

Barnes 24 pts (6-9 3 pt FG)
Wemby 22 pts (18 in 2H)
Champagnie 22 pts

SA 18/45 3 PT FG | HOU: 13-27 3 PT FG

63% of the Spurs' games have gone to crunch time.

SA enters 3-1 in crunch time

Once again, that #Spurs lead is in danger. It was eight and now it is down to three. Can this young Spurs squad close this out?